The Ancient Greek Economy
Markets, Households and City-States

The Ancient Greek Economy: Markets, Households and City-States brings together sixteen essays by leading scholars of the ancient Greek economy.

Edward M. Harris (Edited by), David M. Lewis (Edited by), Mark Woolmer (Edited by)

9781107035881, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 12 November 2015

485 pages, 20 b/w illus. 2 maps
26.3 x 18.6 x 3.1 cm, 1.04 kg

'All in all the arguments are very persuasive - more so possibly than the authors are prepared to admit. At a recent reception I was firmly told that the Greeks had no concept of economic theory because Aristotle would have said so if they had. I wish that that I had read this exciting compilation before that discussion.' Classics For All

The Ancient Greek Economy: Markets, Households and City-States brings together sixteen essays by leading scholars of the ancient Greek economy specialising in history, economics, archaeology and numismatics. Marshalling a wide array of evidence, these essays investigate and analyse the role of market-exchange in the economy of the ancient Greek world, demonstrating the central importance of markets for production and exchange of goods and services during the Classical and Hellenistic periods. Contributors draw on evidence from literary texts and inscriptions, household archaeology, amphora studies and numismatics. Together, the essays provide an original and compelling approach to the issue of explaining economic growth in the ancient Greek world.

1. Introduction Edward M. Harris and David M. Lewis
Part I. Creating the Foundations of Market Exchange: The Role of the State: 2. Aristotle and foreign trade Alain Bresson
3. Forging links between communities: trade policy in Classical Athens Mark Woolmer
4. Choosing and changing monetary standards in the Greek world during the Archaic and the Classical periods Selene Psoma
5. The legal foundations of economic growth in ancient Greece: the role of property records Edward M. Harris
Part II. Household Production for Markets: 6. Industry structure and income opportunities for households in Classical Athens Peter Acton
7. Whole cloth: exploring the Greek economy through the evidence for textile manufacture and purchase in Greek houses Barbara Tsakirgis
8. Producing for the market: estate economy in Northern Greece during the Hellenistic period Evi Margaritis
Part III. Markets and Trade Networks: The Evidence of Transport Amphoras: 9. Patterns of amphora stamp distribution: tracking down export tendencies Tania Panagou
10. The markets for Thasian wine Chavdar Tzochev
11. Transport amphoras and market behavior in the economies of Classical and Hellenistic Greece Mark L. Lawall
Part IV. Markets, Commodities and Trade Networks: 12. An overview of commodities in long-distance trade 500–300 BCE Peter van Alfen
13. Towards a general theory of long-distance trade: aromatics as a case study John K. Davies
14. The market for slaves in the fifth and fourth century Aegean: Achaemenid Anatolia as a case study David M. Lewis
15. 'Vita humanior sine sale non quit degere': demand for salt and salt trade patterns in the ancient Greek world Cristina Carusi
16. Classical Greek trade in comparative perspective Geoffrey Kron.

Subject Areas: Coins, banknotes, medals, seals [numismatics WCF], Economic history [KCZ], Classical Greek & Roman archaeology [HDDK], Classical history / classical civilisation [HBLA1]