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. |
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Page 11
analogues , 5s the deformation of the native traditions of a foreign people for
Greek ideological ends : all these may be taken to suggest a relative ignorance of
, and indifference towards , the people in question . In another sense , however ...
analogues , 5s the deformation of the native traditions of a foreign people for
Greek ideological ends : all these may be taken to suggest a relative ignorance of
, and indifference towards , the people in question . In another sense , however ...
Page 130
18 As Saïd observes in Chapter 3 , it is open to question whether the Greeks
even thought that foreign languages were distinct from Greek – or whether they
saw them as ' Greek gone wrong ' . We turn finally to the last of Herodotus ' three
...
18 As Saïd observes in Chapter 3 , it is open to question whether the Greeks
even thought that foreign languages were distinct from Greek – or whether they
saw them as ' Greek gone wrong ' . We turn finally to the last of Herodotus ' three
...
Page 131
Athena Polias ) , with different rites and with different associated myths , foreign
cultures – with their different names for gods , but with sufficient small similarities
in iconography or myth to establish identifications of Greek and foreign gods ...
Athena Polias ) , with different rites and with different associated myths , foreign
cultures – with their different names for gods , but with sufficient small similarities
in iconography or myth to establish identifications of Greek and foreign gods ...
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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