LEGITIMACY OF MORALITY AND THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM IN ANCIENT GREECE: FROM THE BASILEUS TO THE POLIS - DOI: 10.12818/P.0304-2340.2025v87p85

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the legitimacy of morality in Ancient Greece and the concept of freedom developed by the ancient Greeks. Initially, the foundation of morality is examined through the figure of the basileus, outlining the theoretical framework that structured morality in Ancient Greece, especially during the Mycenaean period. Next, the emergence of philosophy and the polis is addressed as fundamental elements for the development of the sphere of freedom and democracy in Ancient Greece. It is argued that the legitimacy of morality underwent changes in its theoretical framework for validating moral norms with the emergence of Greek philosophy and the birth of the polis, since with the advent of philosophy and the polis, the public sphere became the space in which freedom was exercised in the Greek world, understood as collective and direct participation in the main political decisions of the polis — deliberations on war and peace, alliance treaties with foreigners, lawmaking, judgments, and other matters of common interest. Thus, Greek morality in antiquity experienced a shift in its theoretical framework. The methodology adopted consisted of a bibliographic review of relevant works, encompassing different areas of knowledge — philosophy, law, and history — which provided theoretical support for a deeper understanding of the study’s object. Among the main authors consulted for the development of this work and as theoretical references are Jean-Pierre Vernant, Sophocles, Manfredo A. de Oliveira, Aristotle, Plato, and Werner Jaeger.

KEYWORDS: Morality. Basileus. Bolis. Freedom. Femocracy.