Greeks and BarbariansHow 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 34
In any case we ought to understand that certain of our own customs , from the
point of view of an observer from another society , would seem to him to be of the
same nature as that anthropophagy which seems to us alien to the notion of ...
In any case we ought to understand that certain of our own customs , from the
point of view of an observer from another society , would seem to him to be of the
same nature as that anthropophagy which seems to us alien to the notion of ...
Page 173
these customs are established ' ] . 4 For the Greeks , the beliefs , institutions and
customs that in our eyes constitute a religion are nomoi or nomaia – in other
words , customary rules , traditional ways of acting and thinking . Secondly , we
will ...
these customs are established ' ] . 4 For the Greeks , the beliefs , institutions and
customs that in our eyes constitute a religion are nomoi or nomaia – in other
words , customary rules , traditional ways of acting and thinking . Secondly , we
will ...
Page 174
rituals , their marriage customs and the prenuptial prostitution to which their
women are compelled and which doubtless fulfils a ritual function , but he also
describes the way in which they behave towards the sick . In short , in Greek
minds ...
rituals , their marriage customs and the prenuptial prostitution to which their
women are compelled and which doubtless fulfils a ritual function , but he also
describes the way in which they behave towards the sick . In short , in Greek
minds ...
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Contents
General Introduction | 1 |
3 the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden fig 4 the Museum | 3 |
of Fine Arts Boston fig 5 the Archaeological Institute of | 10 |
Copyright | |
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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 observed opposition oriental origin Paris particular period Persian Persian Wars Phoenician Plato play political possible practice 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