Review article
https://doi.org/10.31337/oz.78.5.6
Between Biological and Social Birth: (Non–)Protection of (Un) Born Children in the Cultures of the Ancient World
Ivica Musa
orcid.org/0000-0002-7941-0103
; Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The cultures of the ancient world, their organization of society and state of mind have always been a frame of reference and a challenge to contemporary cultures. The relationship of ancient societies to the position of the child within the family and the political community is generally less interesting compared to the other impressive achievements of antiquity. However, the lack of a clear ethical understanding of the beginning of human life and the dominant legal regulation of mainly ethical topics leads to a practice which is of extreme danger for children who are left to the arbitrariness of their fathers or other guardians. A child of antiquity literally survives three legal decisions/judgments on its way to legal acceptance: abortion, infanticide of newborn children, and exposure of unwanted children. A brief analysis of the procedures, ceremonies, legal norms of these three steps that precede the uncertain final decision to accept/legalize a child creates a gloomy picture of the drama of the child’s situation and its utter legal vulnerability. The neglect of the weakest segment of society and this objective injustice leaves a painful impression of the surprising lack of humanity in ancient societies. Establishing and ensuring the protection of (un)born children remains an unfulfilled task of ancient culture which has been left to its contemporary successors, namely, Western civilization among others, which is again dramatically called to (re)defend human rights standards, both of adults and (un)born children.
Keywords
abortion; infanticide; exposure of children; antiquity; Greco–Roman law
Hrčak ID:
308647
URI
Publication date:
12.10.2023.
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