Classical Greece: 500-323 BCRobin Osborne The complete Short Oxford History of Europe (series editor: Professor T C W Blanning) will cover the history of Europe from Classical Greece to the present in eleven volumes. In each, experts write to their strengths tackling the key issues, including society, economy, religion, politics, and culture, head-on in chapters that will be at once wide-ranging surveys and searching analyses. Each book is specifically designed with the non-specialist reader in mind; but the authority of the contributors and the vigour of the interpretations will make them necessary and challenging reading for fellow academics across a range of disciplines. Osborne's is the third book to be launched in the series, following on from the publication of Blanning's Eighteenth and Nineteenth century volumes. Robin Osborne provides an analysis which introduces the physical world of the Greek city and the inheritance of the classical city from its archaic past. With specially commissioned chapters, a team of experts introduce the reader to the economy of the Greek city, its political and religious institutions, the waging of warfare between cities, the nature and ancient analysis of struggles within cities, and the private life of individuals. The focus then moves to diachronic change within the city, tracing the broad narratives of Greek history through the fifth and fourth centuries, and concludes by demonstrating the changing ways in which the Greeks themselves construed individual and civic life. Looking at classical Greece as a whole, the reader is introduced to general issues through use of precise examples and through the words of Greek writers themselves. Maps, a timeline, and a selective bibliography help readers to ground the information that is given and direct their further studies. |
Contents
1 | |
The economy | 23 |
The classical city | 52 |
The city at war | 81 |
Political conflicts political debates and political thought | 111 |
Private life | 139 |
The fifth century political and military narrative | 170 |
The fourth century political and military narrative | 197 |
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action activity Aeschylus alliance allies allowed ancient Aristotle army Assembly Athenian Athens attempt authority battle became become body called citizens city-states claimed classical close constitution cults culture death decision defeat democracy democratic Demosthenes developed early effect empire enemy evidence festival fifth century fight followed force fourth century further gods Greece Greek Greek cities Greek world hand Herodotus hoplites human important individual interest Italy king known land later League least less lived means Messenia military nature offered oligarchic particular past peace Peloponnesian perhaps period Persian Philip Plato play polis political practice relations relationship remained rule seems ships slaves social society Socrates sources Spartan speech status stories temple Thucydides tion turn University Wars wealth whole women Xenophon