This history of ancient diplomacy demonstrates how the ancient Greeks used guest-friendship as a mechanism of diplomacy. Ancient proxenoi were the equivalent of contemporary consul-generals and they served some of the same purposes. The proxenoi conducted the diplomatic affairs of the state they represented and looked after the interests of the city-state that had adopted them. In times of war the proxenoi maintained spies and supplied intelligence on the movements of fleets and armies.

André Gerolymatos (1951-2019) was professor and director of the Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies at Simon Fraser University.