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 201
Without undertaking a word - for - word commentary on the assertions of the
Greek authors , it is very clear to everyone that neither Xenophon nor Isocrates
nor Plato had much concern for historical analysis . Their primary aim was
ideological .
Without undertaking a word - for - word commentary on the assertions of the
Greek authors , it is very clear to everyone that neither Xenophon nor Isocrates
nor Plato had much concern for historical analysis . Their primary aim was
ideological .
Page 202
Belief in the degenerative power of wealth can be found in many Greek authors
confronted with the opulence of oriental courts . These were often portrayed as
hotbeds of corruption , a corruption itself associated with luxury and the women of
...
Belief in the degenerative power of wealth can be found in many Greek authors
confronted with the opulence of oriental courts . These were often portrayed as
hotbeds of corruption , a corruption itself associated with luxury and the women of
...
Page 209
In these conditions - as Plutarch ' s opinion of Artaxerxes II shows – luxury ' was
not regarded by all the authors of antiquity as the antithesis of physical courage .
Heraclides of Pontus actually supported the opposite theory in his work On ...
In these conditions - as Plutarch ' s opinion of Artaxerxes II shows – luxury ' was
not regarded by all the authors of antiquity as the antithesis of physical courage .
Heraclides of Pontus actually supported the opposite theory in his work On ...
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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
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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