The Epikleros' Oikos - Worldbuilding and Planning

[Vacyr]

WIP for RP with @Reni

Location:
Athens, the aftermath of the Peloponnesian wars

Plot:
Once a father has died, only male heirs can inherit their estate according to Athenian law which kept ownership within the male-defined family line and kept women from owning property. If there was only a daughter beneficiary, the estate of her father would temporarily fall to her upkeep. That was, until a male relative on her father's side was found for her to marry and produce legitimate heirs with who would rightly own the estate.

Antigone [last name] was one of these Epikleros of ancient Athens. After the war took her father and brothers, her family estate had fallen into disrepair. No matter how she tried to keep things in order, she was not the master of the household. The servants only listening to those orders that should come from a woman no matter her wealth.

According to law, the archon, (senior magistrate of the state in charge of social affairs) was legally bound to compel the closest male relative of her father to marry her. In Antigone's case, her closest link was her uncle's son from another marriage. The war hero Deimos who, with that bloody war closing its doors, had come home to find himself with a most intriguing offer as a reward for his service... Antigone's hand in marriage. And perhaps more importantly, her estate that came with it.

 

[Reni]

Name: Antigone
Age: 20



Appearance: Dark brown hair flows down her back to her trim waist. Her large eyes are a deep honey brown with flecks of gold. She has a healthy sun-kissed glow to her olive skin. Though she stands a bit shorter than other women, she makes up for this in her demeanor. Her build is pleasingly curvy.

History: Antigone grew up on an estate outside of Athens. Having had the misfortune to be born a girl (in her father's and society's eyes) she spent her life in the woman's quarters, learning to spin, weave, and sew. From a young age, she was taught how to run a household in preparation for the day she would marry. But that day did not come when it should have. Instead, war came. Her father and brothers all fought and all died in this war. With all her male relatives dead the estate has fallen into disrepair. She has done her best trying to keep things in order but being a woman she has not been well respected by those in her household. They only follow her directions in the more womanly aspect of running the house. As a woman, she will never have full power over the estate. As an Epikleros she is considered highly eligible due to her family's wealth. But she is obliged to marry her father's closest male relative, a cousin by marriage she has never met. She is resistant to the idea of handing the Oikos over to a stranger.

Personality: Antigone is hard-working determined and too headstrong for her own good. If she wants something she does what she can to get it, even when things seem out of reach. She is not afraid to work hard alongside her slaves. At times she can seem a bit harsh but she never asks something of someone that she would not do herself. There is a certain warmth to her even when she demands the best from people. She can still be kind and caring. She is or (was) deeply devoted and loyal to her father and brothers all of whom are now dead

 

[Vacyr]

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⠀⠀

Δείμος Αμβρόσιος DEIMOS AMBROSIOS​ 「ντοσιέ visage 」 Aliases: Hero of Athens; Champion of Cyzicus Age: 27 Gender: Male Faction: Athens, Greece Military Branch: Navy, 10 years of service (414 - 404)​ 「 εξωτερική εμφάνιση physical appearance 」 Height: 5' 8" Weight Class: Stocky Markings: TBD Hair: Dark chocolate; curly Eyes: Blue​ 「 ψυχή psyche 」 Traits: TBD Likes: TBD Dislikes: TBD Strengths: TBD Weaknesses: TBD​

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❖ Backstory

The Ambrosios family was blessed by the gods to be chosen as one of the many temple wardens (neōkoros) of the Athenian agora for generations. Their family line proud to control access to the many sanctuaries and perform purifications for those who wished to enter and give their offerings. Despite its rather subordinate role compared to the priests and oracles, it came with its own set of duties to keep the temple well maintained and clean. They did not live a lavish way of life but it came with a prestige that could not be denied. However, having renown did not mean a hefty purse. When times were tough, they turned to their love in the gods for their salvation. The gods would know. They always knew. ​

Until war came knocking at their sanctuary doors and a young Deimos was told by the oracle that it was 'the will of Athena' to pick up the aegis and protect his homeland. In the wake of their united conflict between the Greek city states and Persia, the peace between Athens and Sparta broke open multiple times throughout his younger life. A desire to fight brewing strongly in the youth until he was of age to join the cause. But no matter how bravely he and his fellow soldiers fought, it was not enough to take down the newly-commissioned Spartan fleet backed by the Achaemenid empire.

Returning home to defeat, Deimos was deemed a war hero despite the loss by Spartan hands. A title and prestige that he did not want nor liked to be reminded of. Yet, the Ambrosios family wished to shower their youngest honored son with parties and gifts at every opportunity they could. The act of doing so slowly pushing the man away to try and find his own solace within those thick Athenian walls. As if hearing his plea, the swift feet of Hermes moved a letter into Deimos' possession. One which stated from the archon that a distant and wealthy relative was in need of a husband...​

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Spoiler: Timeline

1. 431 begins war | Deimos is born
2. 414 join military at 17
3. 412 graduate, two required years of training - 19
4. 410 two more years under his belt before the battle of cyzicus - 21
5. 404 war ends, returns home - 27

​

 

[Reni]

Glossary

Oikos- home/household.It includes the members living there, both free and enslaved, and all its property, that is, the house, household, and wealth.


Epikleros- an heiress in ancient Athens and other ancient Greek city-states, specifically a daughter of a man who had no sons.


Kyrios-the word kyrios referred to the head of the household, who was responsible for his wife, children, and any unmarried female relatives. It was the responsibility of the kyrios to arrange the marriages of his female relatives, provide their dowries, represent them in court, if necessary, and deal with any economic transactions they were involved in worth more than a median of barley. When an Athenian woman married, her husband became her new kyrios.


Chiton- tunic. The chiton came in two styles. The peplos made of wool. Cut into a simple rectangle measuring half again the height of the person wearing it, it was folded over, wrapped around the body, and pinned at the shoulders and side. It was sleeveless, with large arm openings. The Ionian chiton was made of linen that fell into more elaborate vertical folds than its heavier wool counterpart. The sides were sewn up to create a long cylinder which was then caught by a girdle or cord at the waist or just below the breasts. Short sleeves were added to the sides


Kylix- an ancient Greek cup with a shallow bowl and a tall stem.


Gynaeceum- the portion of a house reserved for women, generally the innermost apartment.The women spent most of their days in this area of the house. These rooms were more remote from those reserved for the men by placing them away from the streets and public areas of the house.

Andron- part of a Greek house that is reserved for men, used for entertaining male guests.For this purpose the room held couches, usually an odd number to allow space for the door, tables which could be tucked under the couches, artwork and any other necessary paraphernalia.

 

[Reni]

Side characters

Ione- Mother to Antigone and wife to the former Kyrios. She is a middle-aged woman with dark hair that is just starting to turn grey. Her eyes are a deep warm brown but lack the gold hue of her daughter's. She is generally kind and even-tempered but there is a sense of grief that dogs her. She has lost everything and everyone save for her only remaining child Antigone. She wants nothing more than to see her daughter settled and her home at peace.


Thelma- A slave girl, she serves as Antigone's companion. She has mousy brown hair, a long nose, and grey eyes. Her duties include tending to Antigone, doing her hair, helping her dress, and helping her with daily activities such as spinning and weaving. She is clever and not above scheming.