Ancient Greek Political Thought in Practice

by: Cartledge, P.

Ancient Greece was a place of tremendous political experiment and innovation, and it was here too that the first serious political thinkers emerged. Using carefully selected case-studies, in this book Professor Cartledge investigates the dynamic interaction between ancient Greek political thought and practice from early historic times to the early Roman Empire. Of concern throughout are three major issues: first, the relationship of political thought and practice; second, the relevance of class and status to explaining political behaviour and thinking; third, democracy - its invention, development and expansion, and extinction, prior to its recent resuscitation and even apotheosis. In addition, monarchy in various forms and at different periods and the peculiar political structures of Sparta are treated in detail over a chronological range extending from Homer to Plutarch. The book provides an introduction to the topic for all students and non-specialists who appreciate the continued relevance of ancient Greece to political theory and practice today.

Using carefully selected case studies, Professor Cartledge investigates the dynamic interaction between ancient Greek political thought and practice from early historic times to the early Roman Empire. The book provides an introduction to the topic for all students and non-specialists who appreciate the continued relevance of ancient Greece to political theory and practice today

Preface xi
Acknowledgements xv
Timeline xix
Meaning in context: how to write a history of Greek political thought
1 (10)
The Greek invention of the polis, of politics and of the political
11 (18)
The prehistoric and protohistoric Greek world, c. 1300-750 BCE
25 (4)
Rule by one: the politics of Homer, c. 750 BCE
29 (17)
The archaic Greek world, c. 750-500 BCE
41 (5)
Rule by some: the politics of Solon, c. 600 BCE
46 (9)
Rule by all: the Athenian revolution, c. 500 BCE
55 (14)
The classical Greek world I, c. 500-400 BCE
65 (4)
The human measure: the Greek invention of political theory, c. 500-400 BCE
69 (7)
The trial of Socrates, 399 BCE
76 (20)
The classical Greek world II, c. 400-300 BCE
91 (5)
Rule by one revisited: the politics of Xenophon, Plato, Isocrates, Aristotle - and Alexander the Great, c. 400-330 BCE
96 (14)
The Hellenistic Greek world, c. 300-30 BCE
107 (3)
(E)utopianism by design: the Spartan revolution, 244-221 BCE
110 (14)
`Graecia capta' (`Greece conquered'), c. 146 BCE - CE 120
120 (4)
The end of politics? The world of Plutarch, c. CE 100
124 (7)
The Greek legacy and democracy today
131 (7)
Appendix I: Selected texts and documents 138 (2)
Appendix II: The `Old Oligarch': a close reading 140 (3)
Bibliographical essay 143 (5)
References 148 (16)
Index 164

Ancient Greek Political Thought in Practice

by: Cartledge, P.

• ISBN-13: 9780521455954 / 978-0-521-45595-4
• ISBN-03: 0521455952 / 0-521-45595-2
• Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2009