Greeks And BarbariansEdinburgh University Press, 2019 M07 30 - 288 pages How did the Greeks view foreign peoples? This book considers what the Greeks thought of foreigners and their religions, cultures and politics, and what these beliefs and opinions reveal about the Greeks. The Greeks were occasionally intrigued by the customs and religions of the many different peoples with whom they came into contact; more often they were disdainful or dismissive, tending to regard non-Greeks as at best inferior, and at worst as candidates for conquest and enslavement. Facing up to this less attractive aspect of the classical tradition is vital, Thomas Harrison argues, to seeing both what the ancient world was really like and the full nature of its legacy in the modern. In this book he brings together outstanding European and American scholarship to show the difference and complexity of Greek representations of foreign peoples - or barbarians, as the Greeks called them - and how these representations changed over time.The book looks first at the main sources: the Histories of Herodotus, Greek tragedy, and Athenian art. Part II examines how the Greeks distinguished themselves from barbarians through myth, language and religion. Part III considers Greek representations of two different barbarian peoples - the allegedly decadent and effeminate Persians, and the Egyptians, proverbial for their religious wisdom. In part IV three chapters trace the development of the Greek-barbarian antithesis in later history: in nineteenth-century scholarship, in Byzantine and modern Greece, and in western intellectual history.Of the twelve chapters six are published in English for the first time. The editor has provided an extensive general introduction, as well as introductions to the parts. The book contains two maps, a guide to further reading and an intellectual chronology. All passages of ancient languages are translated, and difficult terms are explained. |
From inside the book
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Page 13
... common identity through a 'real or pretended' kinship or common ancestor.69 A book title such as Race Mixture among the Greeks before Alexander (1937)70 clearly speaks of the preoccupations, or at least of the language, of a time ...
... common identity through a 'real or pretended' kinship or common ancestor.69 A book title such as Race Mixture among the Greeks before Alexander (1937)70 clearly speaks of the preoccupations, or at least of the language, of a time ...
Page 20
... common to both authors: Herodotus and Aeschylus both appear to draw from a common pool of 'knowledge' of the Persian court.20 With Suzanne Saïd (Ch. 3), we turn then to the later problematisation of the Greek–barbarian antithesis by ...
... common to both authors: Herodotus and Aeschylus both appear to draw from a common pool of 'knowledge' of the Persian court.20 With Suzanne Saïd (Ch. 3), we turn then to the later problematisation of the Greek–barbarian antithesis by ...
Page 41
... Babylon and the Massagetae. These two anticipate the contrast between Egypt and Scythia. Babylon has some points in common with Egypt. The god is said to sleep in the temple there “just as in Egyptian Herodotus the Tourist 41.
... Babylon and the Massagetae. These two anticipate the contrast between Egypt and Scythia. Babylon has some points in common with Egypt. The god is said to sleep in the temple there “just as in Egyptian Herodotus the Tourist 41.
Page 47
... common strategy was debated, and their continual disagreements threatened their unity. But when brought to the proof, they had the courage which belongs only to the consenting citizen, in contrast to the fearful subject. Everywhere ...
... common strategy was debated, and their continual disagreements threatened their unity. But when brought to the proof, they had the courage which belongs only to the consenting citizen, in contrast to the fearful subject. Everywhere ...
Page 55
... common expenditure of the Athenians on their fleet adds another element to the constructed opposition of Athenian and barbarian. The queen's next question specifies still further the relation between Athenian power and its system: who ...
... common expenditure of the Athenians on their fleet adds another element to the constructed opposition of Athenian and barbarian. The queen's next question specifies still further the relation between Athenian power and its system: who ...
Contents
1 | |
15 | |
PART II THEMES | 125 |
PART III PEOPLES | 187 |
PART IV OVERVIEWS | 229 |
Intellectual Chronology | 311 |
Guide to Further Reading | 313 |
Bibliography | 314 |
Index | 328 |
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Common terms and phrases
according Aeschylus ancient appears argument Asia Athenian Athens authors Barbarian become Cadmus called century classical common concept context contrast course culture customs dialect discussion divine early Egypt Egyptian empire especially ethnic Euripides evidence example existence fact fifth foreign further give gods Greece Greek Hall hand Hellenic Herodotus human idea identity important instance interest interpretation Isocrates Italy king land language later less linguistic matriarchy means mentioned myth nature never nomoi opposition oriental origin Paris particular period Persian Persian Wars Phoenician Plato play political possible present problem question reason refer regard relations religion Roman rule Scythians seems seen shows society sources speak speech story theory thought tradition tragedy turn University various whole women writing