La questione samia tra Alessandro e Atene: "libertà dei Greci"

Alexander’s Exiles Decree in 324 had a strong impact on Athens which was obliged “to return Samos to the Samians”. The Samians had been expelled by the Athenian cleruchies established on the island beginning in 365 and the Athenians were not disposed to allow their return. The Samian question is paradigmatic for understanding the social meaning of the Decree and the reasons for opposition to it on behalf of freedom. According to Curtius (10.2.6), Athens claimed the role of vindex publicae libertatis, emphasizing that the Decree’s social consequences would be to bring back the “dregs” (purgamenta) of the city. It is probable that Curtius’ reference to the “dregs” concerns the cleruchs of Samos whom the orator Demades (in Athenaeus) characterized as the “deposit of the dregs” of the city (3.99d).