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
Results 1-3 of 36
Page 162
The text used to be attributed to Dicearchus and is now attributed to Herakleides
Creticus ( or Kritikos ) who according to Pfister ( op . cit . p . 44 ff . ) must have
written between 275 and 200 B . C . 18 It is normal to refer in this context to R .
Münz ...
The text used to be attributed to Dicearchus and is now attributed to Herakleides
Creticus ( or Kritikos ) who according to Pfister ( op . cit . p . 44 ff . ) must have
written between 275 and 200 B . C . 18 It is normal to refer in this context to R .
Münz ...
Page 204
As for the tomb of Sardanapalus , it bore an inscription which , according to
Athenaeus ( XII , 530 c ) , ended with these words : ' Eat , drink and be merry ! ' –
by which he meant that one should make the best of a short life ! We see then the
...
As for the tomb of Sardanapalus , it bore an inscription which , according to
Athenaeus ( XII , 530 c ) , ended with these words : ' Eat , drink and be merry ! ' –
by which he meant that one should make the best of a short life ! We see then the
...
Page 292
According to Aristotle , at all events , nature had not completely succeeded in its
efforts to render the status of these natural slaves recognisable by their physical
appearance ; in antiquity , skin colour was not yet a matter for argument .
According to Aristotle , at all events , nature had not completely succeeded in its
efforts to render the status of these natural slaves recognisable by their physical
appearance ; in antiquity , skin colour was not yet a matter for argument .
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Contents
Maps | 1 |
3 the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden fig 4 the Museum | 3 |
of Fine Arts Boston fig 5 the Archaeological Institute of | 10 |
Copyright | |
13 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
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 present problem question reason refer regard relations religion Roman rule Scythians seems seen shows slaves society sources speak speech story theory thought tradition tragedy turn University various whole women writing