Claudius F. Mayer: From Plato to Pope Paul / Orvostörténeti Közlemények – Supplementum 17. (Budapest, 1989)
the age of parenthood for women at 20 to 40, and for men at 30 to 55 years of age. 137 The Greek recognized the inconsistency in their breeding animals and men, 13 8 as it is the most effectively pointed out by THEOGNIS, 13 9 and commented by STROBAEUS. 14 0 They did know that mating of a noble woman with a low-born fellow may produce weak children. 14 1 The ancient Greek system of eugenics was built on infanticide, 14 2 which radically solved their problems of heredity. 14 3 It was the most important negative eugenic measure in Sparta. 14 4 The Spartan discipline aimed at the production of supermen which made citizens fit chiefly for war only, 14 5 and made the women beautiful and self-controlled. 14 6 Among the early legislators, SOLON also conceded to the father the power of killing his children, 14 7 and sanctioned the exposure of natural children. 148 His laws also permitted people to marry their germane and consanguine, but not their uterine sisters. For the solution of his population problems, SOLON established a State sponsored house of prostitution, and purchased slave woman from abroad. 149 In the interest of the State to produce strong and virgorous children he also authorized any young man to demand permission to have the wife of a less robust fellowcitizen. 15 0 Overpopulation was relieved by various ways. With the development of navigation. Greek colonies served as asylums, for excessive numbers. 15 1 Late marriages v/ere also suggested for the same purpose. At Corinth, PHEÍDO limited the population when it substantially increased. 15 2 Quantitative measures for the maintenance of the number of Spartan citizens were prevention of emigration, 152/ a penalties for, or prohibition of, celibacy, 153 rewards for fertility, 15 4 enfranchisement of aliens, 15 5 establishment of the caste system, 15 6 wife-lending to approved young men. 15 7 Depopulation threatened Sparta in the third and second centuries B.C. because of its declining birth rate, 15 8 Athens because of the Persian wars. 15 9 In Sparta the original 9000 citizens were barely more than TOO 16 0 because of voluntary birth reductions. 16 1 Spartans used to send home strong men from the wars to beget children. 16 2 For depopulation PLATO suggested immigration, 16 3 and ARISTOTLE a recruting from the inferior classes. 16 4 PHILIP, of Macedonia, saw himself forced to encourage procreation by law, and he imported presumably fertile Thracians into the country for this purpose. 16 5 Indeed, the whole Hellas was afflicted in the 2nd century B.C. with low birth rate. People were unwillig to marry, or to beget children. 16 6 The Greeks also recognized what drunkenness may do to the offspring. 16 7 Greek legislators prohibited therefore drinking, 16 8 although the philosophers continued their "symposia". For the maintenance of racial purity, miscegenation was also prohibited. 16 9 The theoretical aspects of eugenics were systematically described by PLATO in the 4th century B.C. 17 0 on the basis of the living and succesful Spartan community. 17 1 He suggested that the State should select suitable mates, and pairing should be regulated so that there be no over- or underpopulation. 17 2 Two children, one of each sex, are sufficient. 17 3 The knowledge of hereditary diseases was limited. HIPPOKRATES 17 4 stated that epilepsy was hereditary, just as squinting or long-headedness. 17 5 The Hellenic dream state was further developed by ARISTOTLE, 17 6 but, in contrast to PLATO, he wished to save the family (oikia) as a unit of society, and assumed an optimum 13
