ARISTOCRACY IN ANTIQUITY by Nick Fisher (Editor), Hans van Wees (Editor) ( 9781910589014 )

Item Details

Title:

ARISTOCRACY IN ANTIQUITY
REDEFINING GREEK AND ROMAN ELITES

By:

Nick Fisher (Editor), Hans van Wees (Editor)

Format:

Hardback

List price:

£80.00

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£72.00

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10% off

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£8.00

ISBN 10:

1910589012

ISBN 13:

9781910589014

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Publisher:

CLASSICAL PRESS OF WALES

Pub. date:

31 October, 2015

Pages:

400

Description:

Aristocracy in Antiquity explores and challenges the common assumption that hereditary 'aristocrats' who derive much of their status, privilege and power from their ancestors are identifiable at most times and places in the ancient world.

Synopsis:

The words 'aristocrats', 'aristocracy' and 'aristocratic values' appear in many a study of ancient history and culture. Sometimes these terms are used with a precise meaning. More often they are casual shorthand for 'upper class', 'ruling elite' and 'high standards'. This book brings together 12 new studies by an impressive international cast of specialists. It demonstrates not only that true aristocracies were rare in the ancient world, but also that the modern use of 'aristocracy' in a looser sense is misleading. The word comes with connotations derived from medieval and modern history. Antiquity, it is here argued, was different. Aristocracy in Antiquity explores and challenges the common assumption that hereditary 'aristocrats' who derive much of their status, privilege and power from their ancestors are identifiable at most times and places in the ancient world. They question, too, the related notion that deep ideological divisions existed between 'aristocratic values', such as hospitality, generosity and a disdain for commerce or trade, and the norms and ideals of lower or 'middling' classes.They do so by detailed analysis of archaeological and literary evidence for the rise and nature of elites and leisure classes, diverse elite strategies, and political conflicts in a variety of states across the Mediterranean. Chapters deal with archaic and classical Athens, Samos, Aigina and Crete; the Greek 'colonial' settlements such as Sicily; archaic Rome and central Italy; and the Roman Empire under the Principate.

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Imprint:

Classical Press of Wales

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Some other items by this author:

A COMPANION TO ARCHAIC GREECE