Federalism in Greek Antiquity

A comprehensive reassessment of federalism and political integration in antiquity, including detailed descriptions of all the Greek federal states.

Hans Beck (Edited by), Peter Funke (Edited by)

9780521192262, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 5 November 2015

634 pages, 6 maps
23.5 x 16 x 3.8 cm, 1 kg

The world of ancient Greece witnessed some of the most sophisticated and varied experiments with federalism in the pre-modern era. In the volatile interstate environment of Greece, federalism was a creative response to the challenge of establishing regional unity, while at the same time preserving a degree of local autonomy. To reconcile the forces of integration and independence, Greek federal states introduced, for example, the notion of proportional representation, the stratification of legal practice, and a federal grammar of festivals and cults. Federalism in Greek Antiquity provides the first comprehensive reassessment of the topic. It comprises detailed contributions on all federal states in Aegean Greece and its periphery. With every chapter written by a leading expert in the field, the book also incorporates thematic sections that place the topic in a broader historical and social-scientific context.

1. Introduction to federalism in Greek antiquity Hans Beck and Peter Funke
2. Federalism and ethnicity Jonathan M. Hall
3. The community of the Hellenes Lynette G. Mitchell
4. Akarnania and the Akarnanian League Klaus Freitag
5. The Aitolian League Peter Funke
6. The Achaian League Athanassios Rizakis
7. Boiotia and the Boiotian Leagues Hans Beck and Angela Ganter
8. The Euboia League - an 'irregular' koinon? Denis Knoepfler
9. The Lokrians and their federal leagues Giovanna Daverio Rocchi
10. Phokis Jeremy McInerney
11. Microfederalism in Central Greece: the Dorians and Oitaians Denis Rousset
12. The Thessalian League Richard Bouchon and Bruno Helly
13. The Arkadian Confederacy Thomas Heine Nielsen
14. Elis (with Akroria and Pisatis) James Roy
15. Traces of federalism in Messenia Nino Luraghi
16. Molossia and Epeiros Elizabeth A. Meyer
17. Federal Makedonia Miltiades B. Hatzopoulos
18. The Chalkidike and the Chalkidians Michael Zahrnt
19. Federalism and the sea: the koina of the Aegean Islands Kostas Buraselis
20. Federalism on Crete: the Cretan koinon and the koinon of the Oreioi Angelos Chaniotis
21. The Italiote League and Southern Italy Michael P. Fronda
22. The Lykian League Ralf Behrwald
23. Federalism in the Kyrenaïka? Alex McAuley
24. Forerunners of federal states: collaboration and integration through alliance in Archaic and Classical Greece Kurt A. Raaflaub
25. The Hellenic Leagues of late Classical and Hellenistic times and their place in the history of Greek federalism Bernhard Smarczyk
26. Peaceful conflict resolution in the world of the federal states Sheila Ager
27. The economics of federation in the ancient Greek world Emily Mackil
28. Ancient theoretical reflections on federalism Cinzia Bearzot
29. Greek federalism, the rediscovery of Polybius, and the framing of the American constitution Gustav Adolf Lehmann.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], Classical history / classical civilisation [HBLA1]