The Οἶκος: Open Space or Closed Space?

The concept of the household (οἶκος) dates back to ancient times and signifies both the people who belong to it as well as all its assets. It is a social entity that includes not only the family, but many more people and possessions. As such, the household is not limited to the home, although since ancient times the term has been used to refer to the house where the family lived. A household could be much larger than a family, and therefore often did not correspond to a family's dwelling. This presentation will examine how "open" or, conversely, how "closed" the household was. In the Byzantine era, the oikos had fundamental social roles. It had a social image composed of social qualities such as wealth, service, honor, piety, and philanthropy, among others. In this context, it is interesting to explore, as far as possible, the participation of the household members in those aspects, which concern both its internal functioning and its social, and therefore outward, image, its ability to welcome new members, but also what happens when old members decide to leave the household, if this possibility exists. Although the definition of the concept implies enclosure and isolation for the protection of its members, the image we get from Byzantine sources is not that of a closed entity. The house was open in certain circumstances and for specific purposes, and the boundaries between public and private could be particularly blurred in terms of its social image. However, it could also be "closed" in order to protect its particular character. It is even possible that the conservatism that emerges from the sources regarding how "closed" the house was is inversely proportional to the openness of Byzantine society itself.