A Companion to Ancient Greek Government

 Due to a surge in cultural studies of antiquity, the communication of power has perhaps received more scholarly attention than the branches of government. This trend has become immensely influential, as it helps us to disclose the tacit assumptions underlying the exercise of political power. But, as a result, the understanding of government itself has fallen behind. This Companion offers a modern, comprehensive volume on Greek government, detailing the variety of constitutions and types of governing bodies in the Greek world. It constitutes an all–new standard reference work, with an overall focus on institutions and state action, while also addressing, through individual contributions, recent scholarship on ancient Greek political culture. The book covers the wide range of governmental action in Greek antiquity. It explores the multiple manifestations of state action throughout the Greek world. It considers a broad selection of city–states, and governmental realms beyond the polis.

List of Illustrations ix Notes on Contributors xi Abbreviated Source Editions and Lexica xvii Maps xx Introduction: A Prolegomenon to Ancient Greek Government 1 Hans Beck PART I Greek Government in History 7 1 The Rise of State Action in the Archaic Age 9 Jonathan M. Hall 2 The Classical Greek Polis and Its Government 22 Barry Strauss 3 Dynastic Courts of the Hellenistic Empires 38 Rolf Strootman 4 Hellenistic Cities: The End of Greek Democracy? 54 Hans–Ulrich Wiemer PART II Ancient Templates and Typologies 71 5 Archaic and Classical Greek Reflections on Politics and Government: From Description to Conceptualization, Analysis, and Theory 73 Kurt A. Raaflaub 6 Plato′s View on Greek Government 93 Luc Brisson 7 Aristotle 105 Peter L.P. Simpson 8 Polybios on Government, Interstate Relations, and Imperial Expansion 119 Craige B. Champion 9 One–Man Government: The Greeks and Monarchy 131 Nino Luraghi 10 Unlike(ly) Twins? Democracy and Oligarchy in Context 146 Hartmut Leppin PART III To Rule and Be Ruled: Greek Governing Bodies 159 11 Citizenship, the Citizen Body, and its Assemblies 161 Josine Blok 12 Officials and Office–Holding 176 Alex McAuley 13 Councils in Greek Oligarchies and Democracies 191 Robert W. Wallace 14 Law Courts 205 Domingo Aviles and David C. Mirhady PART IV Process and Procedure 219 15 Laws and Legislation in Ancient Greece 221 Michael Gagarin 16 Tyche′s Force: Lottery and Chance in Greek Government 235 Elizabeth Kosmetatou 17 Governmental Checks and Balances 252 Pierre Frohlich 18 Forms and Forums of Public Speech 267 Loren J. Samons II PART V Responsibilities and Realms of Action 285 19 Public Administration 287 Frances Pownall 20 Greek Government and Education: Re–examining the ephebeia 302 Lynn Kozak 21 Government and Warfare 317 John Serrati 22 Finance and Taxes 332 Vincent Gabrielsen 23 Greek Government and the Organization of Time 349 Robert Hannah 24 The Religious Management of the polis: Oracles and Political Decision–Making 366 Pierre Bonnechere PART VI Space and Memory 383 25 Spaces of Government: Civic Architecture and Memory 385 Charles W. Hedrick, Jr. 26 Keeping Record, Making Public: The Epigraphy of Government 400 Adele C. Scafuro 27 Monumental Representations of Government 417 Jenifer Neils 28 State Festivals and Celebrations 432 Pauline Schmitt Pantel PART VII Government Beyond the City–State 449 29 Greek Amphiktyonies: An Experiment in Transregional Governance 451 Peter Funke 30 Polis and koinon: Federal Government in Greece 466 Jeremy McInerney 31 Governing Interstate Alliances 480 Thomas Figueira and Sean R. Jensen 32 Interstate Governance: Arbitration and Peacekeeping 497 Sheila L. Ager Epilogue: The Legacy of Greek Government – Something That Has "Never Occurred Again"? 512 Uwe Walter Bibliography 525 Index 581

  Hans Beck is Professor of Ancient History, John MacNaughton Chair of Classics and Director of Classical Studies at McGill University in Montreal. He is the author and editor of many books, among them Polis und Koinon (1997), Central Greece and the Politics of Power in the Fourth Century BC (with J. Buckler, 2008), and Consuls and Res Publica: Holding High Office in the Roman Republic (co–editor, 2011).

“In any case, this collection of contributions is a real asset in that it unequivocally shows that ancient Greek governmental studies is a dynamic field of study. Moreover, the book was carefully produced and the number of typos is limited.”  ( Bryn Mawr Classical R eview, 6 March 2014)