The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Greek Political Thought

A guide to the central texts and problems in ancient Greek political thought from Homer through the Stoics and Epicureans.

Stephen Salkever (Edited by)

9780521867535, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 27 April 2009

390 pages, 2 tables 9 exercises
23.5 x 15.8 x 2.9 cm, 0.63 kg

'… a rich and illuminating volume that offers fresh and useful insight into the political ideals and practices of the ancient Greek world.' Polis: The Journal for Ancient Greek Political Thought

The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Greek Political Thought provides a guide to understanding the central texts and problems in ancient Greek political thought, from Homer through the Stoics and Epicureans. Composed of essays specially commissioned for this volume and written by leading scholars of classics, political science, and philosophy, the Companion brings these texts to life by analysing what they have to tell us about the problems of political life. Focusing on texts by Homer, Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle, among others, they examine perennial issues, including rights and virtues, democracy and the rule of law, community formation and maintenance, and the ways in which theorizing of several genres can and cannot assist political practice.

Introduction Stephen Salkever
1. Homer and political thought Dean Hammer
2. Foundings vs. constitutions: ancient tragedy and the origins of political community Arlene W. Saxonhouse
3. Most favored status in Herodotus and Thucydides: recasting the Athenian Tyrannicides through Solon and Pericles Norma Thompson
4. Thucydides and political thought Gerald Mara
5. 'This way of life, this contest': rethinking Socratic citizenship Susan Bickford
6. The political drama of Plato's Republic David Roochnik
7. Practical Plato Catherine H. Zuckert
8. Reading Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Politics as a single course of lectures: rhetoric, politics, and philosophy Stephen Salkever
9. Lived excellence in Aristotle's Constitution of Athens: why the Encomium of Theramenes matters Jill Frank and S. Sara Monoson
10. The virtue politics of democratic Athens Ryan K. Balot
11. Origins of rights in ancient political thought Fred D. Miller, Jr.
12. The emergence of natural law and the Cosmopolis Eric Brown.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], History of ideas [JFCX], Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500 [HPCA], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]