Ancient Greek Democracy Readings and Sources

by Robinson, Eric W.

• ISBN13: 9780631233930
• ISBN10: 0631233938
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-08-08
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This book invites readers to join in a fresh and extensive investigation of one of Ancient Greece's greatest inventions: democratic government. Provides an accessible, up-to-date survey of vital issues in Greek democracy. Covers democracy's origins, growth and essential nature. Raises questions of continuing interest. Combines ancient texts in translation and recent scholarly articles. Invites the reader into a process of historical investigation. Contains maps, a glossary and an index.

Author Biography

Eric W. Robinson is Associate Professor of History and the Classics at Harvard University, where he has received the Roslyn Abramson Award for excellence in teaching. He is the author of The First Democracies: Early Popular Government Outside Athens (1997). He has also co-edited with Vanessa Gorman Oikistes: Studies in Constitutions, Colonies, and Military Power in the Ancient World Offered in Honor of A. J. Graham (2002).

Table of Contents

Preface	viii
Acknowledgments	x
Abbreviations	xii
Map 1	xiii
Map 2	xiv
Ancient Greek Democracy: A Brief Introduction	1	(6)
Prelude to Democracy: Political Thought in Early Greek Texts	7	(69)
Introduction	7	(1)
Sources
Homer, Iliad 1.1--305, 2.1--282	8	(13)
Homer, Odyssey 2.1--259	21	(5)
Hesiod, Theogony lines 81--97; Works and Days lines 213--269	26	(2)
Readings
Homer and the Beginning of Political Thought in Greece	28	(13)
Kurt A. Raaflaub
Commentary on Raaflaub	41	(4)
Lowell Edmunds
Equality and the Origins of Greek Democracy	45	(29)
Ian Morris
Further Reading	74	(2)
The Beginnings of the Athenian Democracy: Who Freed Athens?	76	(47)
Introduction	76	(1)
Sources
Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians 5--12	77	(4)
Herodotus, Histories 5.62--78	81	(5)
Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 6.53--59	86	(2)
Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians 18--22	88	(4)
Aristotle, Politics 1275b34--39, 1319b2--27	92	(1)
The Athenian Archon List	93	(1)
Drinking Song Celebrating Harmodius and Aristogciton	93	(2)
Readings
The Athenian Revolution of 508/7 BC: Violence, Authority, and the Origins of Democracy	95	(18)
Josiah Ober
Revolution or Compromise?	113	(9)
Loren J. Samons II
Further Reading	122	(1)
Popular Politics in Fifth-century Syracuse	123	(29)
Introduction	123	(1)
Sources
Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 6.34--36, 38--41	123	(2)
Aristotle, Politics 1315b35--9, 1316a30--4, 1304a18--29	125	(1)
Diodorus, Library of History 11.67--68, 72--73, 76, 86--87	126	(5)
Readings
Sicily, 478--431 BC	131	(4)
David Asheri
Revolution and Society in Greek Sicily and Southern Italy	135	(5)
Shlomo Berger
Democracy in Syracuse, 466--412 BC	140	(11)
Eric W. Robinson
Further Reading	151	(1)
Liberty, Equality, and the Ideals of Greek Democracy	152	(33)
Introduction	152	(1)
Sources
Herodotus, Histories 3.80--82	152	(2)
Euripides, Suppliant Women 346--57, 403--50	154	(2)
Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 2.37--42	156	(2)
Aristotle, Politics 1292b21--34, 1317a40--1318a10	158	(1)
Readings
Shares and Rights: ``Citizenship'' Greek Style and American Style	159	(12)
Martin Ostwald
The Ancient Athenian and the Modern Liberal View of Liberty as a Democratic Ideal	171	(12)
Mogens Herman Hansen
Further Reading	183	(2)
Power and Rhetoric at Athens: Elite Leadership versus Popular Ideology	185	(63)
Introduction	185	(1)
Sources
Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 2.65.1-11	185	(2)
Demosthenes 21, Against Meidias 1--8, 12--21, 42--50, 70--87, 95--99, 110--112, 123--131, 136--159, 193--197, 208--212, 219--227	187	(14)
Readings
Who Ran Democratic Athens?	201	(10)
P. J. Rhodes
Demosthenes 21 (Against Meidias): Democratic Abuse	211	(21)
Peter J. Wilson
Power and Oratory in Democratic Athens: Demosthenes 21, Against Meidias	232	(15)
Josiah Ober
Further Reading	247	(1)
Limiting Democracy: The Political Exclusion of Women and Slaves	248	(65)
Introduction	248	(1)
Sources
Thucydides, Pericles' Funeral Oration (History of the Peloponnesian War 2.44--6)	249	(1)
Pseudo-Xenophon, The Constitution of the Athenians 1; 4--8.1; 10--12	250	(1)
Aristophanes, The Assemblywomen, lines 57--244, 427--476, 877--889, 938--1056	251	(11)
Aristotle, Politics 1253b1--33, 54a10--24, b7--15, 59a37--b4; 1274b32--1275a34, b19--23; 1319b2--32	262	(3)
Readings
The Economics and Politics of Slavery at Athens	265	(16)
Robin Osborne
Women and Democracy in Fourth-century Athens	281	(11)
Michael H. Jameson
Women and Democracy in Ancient Greece	292	(20)
Marilyn Katz
Further Reading	312	(1)
Glossary of Greek Names and Terms	313	(2)
Index	315