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 3
... -Greek world'; Lévy, 'Naissance du concept de barbare'; see further below, n. 18. See e.g. Drews, 'The first tyrants in Greece'. 16 Greek enemies – unlike the Trojans of fifth-century tragedy, who, General Introduction 3.
... -Greek world'; Lévy, 'Naissance du concept de barbare'; see further below, n. 18. See e.g. Drews, 'The first tyrants in Greece'. 16 Greek enemies – unlike the Trojans of fifth-century tragedy, who, General Introduction 3.
Page 12
... concept de barbare'; see further below, Ch. 6 (Morpurgo Davies) and introduction to Part II. 61 My caution is due to the controversy over the extent of Herodotus' travels: see my comments, Divinity and History, pp. 23–4 (with a summary ...
... concept de barbare'; see further below, Ch. 6 (Morpurgo Davies) and introduction to Part II. 61 My caution is due to the controversy over the extent of Herodotus' travels: see my comments, Divinity and History, pp. 23–4 (with a summary ...
Page 25
... concept he has at least three different words: diaita, e ̄thea, and nomoi. Diaita has to do with material culture, with what people eat and drink (3. 23) and otherwise consume (1. 202), and with their livelihood (1. 157, 4. 109). The ...
... concept he has at least three different words: diaita, e ̄thea, and nomoi. Diaita has to do with material culture, with what people eat and drink (3. 23) and otherwise consume (1. 202), and with their livelihood (1. 157, 4. 109). The ...
Page 26
... concepts carry with them a certain relativism; it is assumed that the diaita, e ̄thea, and nomoi of each people seem right to them. Nomoi, however, are special in that they are often accompanied by an explanation. The Egyptians ease ...
... concepts carry with them a certain relativism; it is assumed that the diaita, e ̄thea, and nomoi of each people seem right to them. Nomoi, however, are special in that they are often accompanied by an explanation. The Egyptians ease ...
Page 42
... concept of koros, invokes the Greek tragic vocabulary. Koros is the appetite which gains increase by what it feeds on; those who prosper too much, or in the wrong way, become insatiable, ακρητο . Koros is linked with ate ̄, violence ...
... concept of koros, invokes the Greek tragic vocabulary. Koros is the appetite which gains increase by what it feeds on; those who prosper too much, or in the wrong way, become insatiable, ακρητο . Koros is linked with ate ̄, violence ...
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