This book investigates the social, legal, and cultural status of illegitimate children within the diverse city-states of the ancient Greek world. Dr. Daniel Ogden, a specialist in classical history, synthesizes archaeological, literary, and epigraphic evidence to examine how legitimacy functioned as a mechanism of social exclusion. He argues that the status of bastards was inextricably linked to broader hierarchies involving gender, citizenship, and economic standing, challenging traditional interpretations of Greek social structures.

Scholars and historians recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the complexities of ancient Greek social stratification. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the thoroughness with which Ogden navigates the often-fragmentary primary source material.