Transmission maternelle en Grèce ancienne : du physique au comportement

Abstract

My paper will examine a variety of sources (medical and biological texts, tragedy and comedy, forensic rhetoric, poetry), in order to consider and reassess the role of the mother in the construction of child-identity in the ancient Greek world, especially in classical time. In other words, what kind of ‘imprint’ does a mother put on her children? Does she transmit physical characteristics and behaviours to them? In what way does it affect their social and/or political roles during their life?

Keywords

• motherhood
• transmission
• heredity
• child-identity
• physical characteristic
• behaviour