Witnesses and Evidence in Ancient Greek Literature

Witnesses and Evidence in Ancient Greek Literature
Author: Andreas Markantonatos
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2022-01-19
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 3110751976

The fact that aspects of witnesses and evidence put them in the centre of the institutional and cultural (e.g. religious, literary) construction of ancient societies indicates that it is important to keep offering nuanced approaches to the topic of this volume. To advance knowledge of the processes of presenting witnesses and gathering, or constructing, evidence is, in fact, to better and more fully understand the ways in which deliberative Athenian democracy functions, what the core elements of political life and civic identity are, and how they relate to the system of using logos to make decisions. For, witnesses and evidence were important prerequisites of getting the Athenian citizenship and exerting the civic/political identity as a member of the community. It is important, therefore, all the matters that relate to information-gathering and decision-making to be examined anew. Emphasis can be placed on a variety of genres to allow scholars recreate the fullest and clearest possible image about the witnessing and evidencing in antiquity. Chapters in this volume include considerations of social, political, literary, and moral theory, alongside studies of the impact of information-gathering and decision-making in oratory and drama, with a steady focus on the application of key ideas and values in social and political justice to issues of pressing ethical concern.

Witnesses and Evidence in Ancient Greek Literature

Witnesses and Evidence in Ancient Greek Literature
Author: Andreas Markantonatos
Publisher: de Gruyter
Total Pages: 300
Release: 2021-11-30
Genre:
ISBN: 9783110751161

The fact that aspects of witnesses and evidence put them in the centre of the institutional and cultural (e.g. religious, literary) construction of ancient societies indicates that it is important to keep offering nuanced approaches to the topic of this volume. To advance knowledge of the processes of presenting witnesses and gathering, or constructing, evidence is, in fact, to better and more fully understand the ways in which deliberative Athenian democracy functions, what the core elements of political life and civic identity are, and how they relate to the system of using logos to make decisions. For, witnesses and evidence were important prerequisites of getting the Athenian citizenship and exerting the civic/political identity as a member of the community. It is important, therefore, all the matters that relate to information-gathering and decision-making to be examined anew. Emphasis can be placed on a variety of genres to allow scholars recreate the fullest and clearest possible image about the witnessing and evidencing in antiquity. Chapters in this volume include considerations of social, political, literary, and moral theory, alongside studies of the impact of information-gathering and decision-making in oratory and drama, with a steady focus on the application of key ideas and values in social and political justice to issues of pressing ethical concern.

Character Evidence in the Courts of Classical Athens

Character Evidence in the Courts of Classical Athens
Author: Vasileios Adamidis
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2016-11-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 1317168437

There has been much debate in scholarship over the factors determining the outcome of legal hearings in classical Athens. Specifically, there is divergence regarding the extent to which judicial panels were influenced by non-legal considerations in addition to, or even instead of, questions of law. Ancient rhetorical theory and practice devoted much attention to character and it is this aspect of Athenian law which forms the focus of this book. Close analysis of the dispute-resolution passages in ancient Greek literature reveals striking similarities with the rhetoric of litigants in the Athenian courts and thus helps to shed light on the function of the courts and the fundamental nature of Athenian law. The widespread use of character evidence in every aspect of argumentation can be traced to the Greek ideas of ‘character’ and ‘personality’, the inductive method of reasoning, and the social, political and institutional structures of the ancient Greek polis. According to the author’s proposed method of interpretation, character evidence was not a means of diverting the jury’s attention away from the legal issues; instead, it was a constructive and relevant way of developing a legal argument.

Space in Ancient Greek Literature

Space in Ancient Greek Literature
Author: I.J.F. de Jong
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 624
Release: 2012-03-20
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 9004224386

This is the third volume in the series Studies in Ancient Greek narrative. It deals with the narratological category of space: how is space, including objects which function as 'props', presented in Greek narrative texts and what are its functions (thematic, symbolic, psychologising, or characterising)?How are longer descriptions organised and integrated into the story? Long deemed a mere ancilla narrationis, especially in narratives which precede the age of the realist novel, space turns out to play an important and multifaceted role in Greek literature.

The Law and the Courts in Ancient Greece

The Law and the Courts in Ancient Greece
Author: Edward Harris
Publisher: Bristol Classical Press
Total Pages: 264
Release: 2004-03-18
Genre: History
ISBN:

How successful were the Greeks in bringing about the rule of law? What did the Greeks recognise as law both in the polis and internationally? This collection of essays sets out to answer these questions.

Yale Classics - Ancient Greek Literature

Yale Classics - Ancient Greek Literature
Author: Aristotle
Publisher: Good Press
Total Pages: 3414
Release: 2023-12-27
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN:

Yale Classics - Ancient Greek Literature is a landmark anthology that encapsulates the enduring legacy and diverse richness of Ancient Greek literary tradition. This collection presents a significant array of literary styles - from the epic poetry of Homer to the philosophical dialogues of Plato and Aristotle, and the tragic dramas of Sophocles and Euripides. It draws together the seminal works that have not only shaped Western literature but have also laid the groundwork for much of contemporary thought and culture. The inclusion of both widely celebrated and lesser-known pieces affords readers a comprehensive view of the literary prowess and thematic breadth characteristic of Ancient Greek literature, highlighting its exploration of virtues, the human condition, and the pursuit of knowledge. The contributing authors and editors are titans of literature and philosophy, each bringing their unique perspectives and experiences to the anthology's overarching theme. Many of these figures were central to pivotal historical, cultural, and literary movements of their time. The collective contributions of these authors provide a multifaceted glimpse into the ancient world, offering insights into the social, political, and philosophical underpinnings that influenced their works. Through this anthology, readers are invited to traverse various epochs and city-states of Ancient Greece, gaining a deeper understanding of its complex literary heritage. Yale Classics - Ancient Greek Literature is an essential collection for anyone seeking to immerse themselves in the depth and diversity of ancient thought and expression. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the interplay between different literary forms and themes, from the poetic to the philosophical and the dramatic. This anthology is not only a testament to the intellectual and artistic achievements of its contributors but also an invaluable educational resource. It encourages a dialogue between the past and the present, making it a vital addition to the libraries of scholars, students, and enthusiasts of literature and ancient civilizations alike.

Essays on Ancient Greek Literature and Culture

Essays on Ancient Greek Literature and Culture
Author: Ewen Bowie
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 1071
Release: 2023-07-31
Genre: History
ISBN: 1107058120

Assembles a major scholar's work on Hellenistic and Imperial Greek poetry and the novels over four decades, illustrating its evolution.

Essays on Ancient Greek Literature and Culture: Volume 2, Comedy, Herodotus, Hellenistic and Imperial Greek Poetry, the Novels

Essays on Ancient Greek Literature and Culture: Volume 2, Comedy, Herodotus, Hellenistic and Imperial Greek Poetry, the Novels
Author: Ewen Bowie
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 1071
Release: 2023-06-30
Genre: History
ISBN: 1009353527

In this book one of the world's leading Hellenists brings together his many contributions over four decades to our understanding of major genres of Greek literature, above all the Greek novel, but also Attic Comedy, fifth-century historiography, and Hellenistic and Imperial Greek poetry. Many are already essential reading, such as the chapter on the figure of Lycidas in Theocritus' Idyll 7, or two chapters on the ancient readership of Greek novels. Discussions of Imperial Greek poetry published three decades ago opened up a world almost entirely neglected by scholars. Several chapters address literary and linguistic issues in Longus' novel Daphnis and Chloe, complementing the author's commentary published in 2019; two contribute to a better understanding of the enigmatic Aethiopica of Heliodorus; and many explore important questions arising from examination of the form of the Greek novel as a whole. This is the second of a planned three-volume collection.

Slaves and Slavery in Ancient Greece

Slaves and Slavery in Ancient Greece
Author: Sara Forsdyke
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 297
Release: 2021-06-10
Genre: History
ISBN: 1107032342

Recovers the voices, experiences and agency of enslaved people in ancient Greece.

Status in Classical Athens

Status in Classical Athens
Author: Deborah E Kamen
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2013-07-21
Genre: History
ISBN: 1400846536

Ancient Greek literature, Athenian civic ideology, and modern classical scholarship have all worked together to reinforce the idea that there were three neatly defined status groups in classical Athens--citizens, slaves, and resident foreigners. But this book--the first comprehensive account of status in ancient democratic Athens--clearly lays out the evidence for a much broader and more complex spectrum of statuses, one that has important implications for understanding Greek social and cultural history. By revealing a social and legal reality otherwise masked by Athenian ideology, Deborah Kamen illuminates the complexity of Athenian social structure, uncovers tensions between democratic ideology and practice, and contributes to larger questions about the relationship between citizenship and democracy. Each chapter is devoted to one of ten distinct status groups in classical Athens (451/0-323 BCE): chattel slaves, privileged chattel slaves, conditionally freed slaves, resident foreigners (metics), privileged metics, bastards, disenfranchised citizens, naturalized citizens, female citizens, and male citizens. Examining a wide range of literary, epigraphic, and legal evidence, as well as factors not generally considered together, such as property ownership, corporal inviolability, and religious rights, the book demonstrates the important legal and social distinctions that were drawn between various groups of individuals in Athens. At the same time, it reveals that the boundaries between these groups were less fixed and more permeable than Athenians themselves acknowledged. The book concludes by trying to explain why ancient Greek literature maintains the fiction of three status groups despite a far more complex reality.