In my last post one of my comments was on a rather unusual Greek word: ἀνεφαπτός (anephaptos). This word appears only in Greek manumission inscriptions, that is, it does not appear in any Greek literature or histories. However from its context, epigraphers and historians have long understood that it means “not to be enslaved”.
In her book on Greek manumission, Zelnick-Abramovitz explains the etymology of this word and how it relates to the needs of manumitted slaves. Specifically, it is a negative adjective formed from the verb ephaptein, which means “to bind”. Ephaptein can also mean to “to claims as property” or “to lay hands on”. Zelnick-Abramovitz argues that when a slave is describe as not “ephaptein”, it means that neither his or her former master, nor his heirs, nor anybody else can try to re-enslave this freedperson.
In her book on Greek manumission, Zelnick-Abramovitz explains the etymology of this word and how it relates to the needs of manumitted slaves. Specifically, it is a negative adjective formed from the verb ephaptein, which means “to bind”. Ephaptein can also mean to “to claims as property” or “to lay hands on”. Zelnick-Abramovitz argues that when a slave is describe as not “ephaptein”, it means that neither his or her former master, nor his heirs, nor anybody else can try to re-enslave this freedperson.