Juvenile Delinquency Existence in the Greco-Roman World Essay Example

the father of the main attacker.

The disrespectful actions of Ktesias, who is Konon's son, were a result of the lack of discipline he received from his military commander and his father. Despite warnings, Ktesias would get drunk at lunchtime and find amusement in pouring his chamber pot's contents over the heads of slaves. Not only was Ktesias' father, Konon, involved in the assault on Ariston, but the assault itself included tearing off Ariston's cloak, pushing him into the mud, violently striking him causing his eye to swell and his lip to bleed, and verbally attacking him while he was defenseless.

During the attack, Konon stood by his son, encouraging him by imitating the victorious sounds of fighting cocks. Fortunately, Ariston was rescued by passersby. There are clear parallels to the present times. Firstly, like many incidents in today's society, the attack was fueled by alcohol. Konon and his son had attended a drinking party beforehand. Secondly, Athenian military service, with its lack of discipline, often led to senseless acts of violence instead of providing a safe outlet for young individuals. This argument is currently discussed in the explanation of delinquency.

Ariston cautioned the jury that during his speech, Konon might defend his son by resorting to the cliche justification of "boys will be boys". Ariston believed that Konon would attempt to argue that Ktesias' actions were no different from those of other youth in Athens who come from decent backgrounds and get caught up with prostitutes, leading to conflicts. Konon would likely compare his son's behavior to that of other young people to normalize it. However, Ariston emphasized that the attack had nothing to do with prostitutes

but rather stemmed from the assailant holding a grudge against him for reporting incidents to their commander.

Regardless of the outcome and the level of Ariston's involvement in provoking the attack, that is not the main focus. The main point is that this incident was not an isolated occurrence and supports the defendants' portrayal of young Athenian males as accurate. In Greece, young manhood was commonly characterized by aggression, intoxication, and promiscuity. Their competitiveness likely played a significant role in a society that highly valued competition in all aspects of social life. Greek mythology also presents another perspective on juvenile delinquency in the Greco-Roman world.