Description
Book SynopsisGreeks – in later times – saw Athens as 'the Hellas of Hellas', but in the classical period many Athenians thought otherwise. Athens might be a school of Hellas, but the school of Hellas was Sparta. Militarily and morally, Sparta was supreme. This book explores how Athenians – ordinary citizens as well as writers and politicians – thought about Sparta's superiority. Nine new studies from an international cast examine how Athenians might revere Sparta even as they fought her. This respect led to Plato's literary creation of fantasy cities (in the Republic and Laws) to imitate Spartan methods. And, after its military surrender in 404 BC, ruling Athenian politicians claimed that their city was to be remodelled as itself a New Sparta.
Trade ReviewThis impressive volume complements its congeners. * Classical Journal *
Table of ContentsIntroductory Note
Anton Powell Foreword
Paul Cartledge 1 Sparta in Pericles’ Funeral Oration
Paula Debnar 2 Athens, Sparta, and the t???? of deliberation
Ellen Millender 3 Athens as New Sparta? Lakonism and the Athenian revolution of 404–3 BC
Anton Powell 4 Viewing Sparta through Athenian engagement with art and architecture
Michael Scott 5 Euripides, Sparta and the self-definition of Athens
Edith Hall 6 Sparta and Spartans in Old Comedy
Ralph M. Rosen 7 Imagined superpowers: Isocrates’ opposition of Athens and Sparta
Carol Atack 8 Spartan echoes in Plato’s
Republic Fritz-Gregor Herrmann 9 Aristotle’s critique of Spartan imperialism
Malcolm Schofield Index
