This is an authoritative and clearly written account of the mainissues involved in the study of Greek slavery from Homeric times to thefourth century BC. It provides valuable insights into the fundamentalplace of slavery in the economies and social life of classical Greece;and includes penetrating analyses of the widely-held ancientideological justifications of slavery. A wide range of topics iscovered; including the development of slavery from Homer to theclassical period; the peculiar form of community slaves (the helots)found in Sparta; economic functions and the treatment of slaves inAthens; and the evidence for slaves' resistance. Throughout the authorshows how political and economic systems; ideas of national identity;work and gender; and indeed the fundamental nature of Greekcivilisation itself; were all profoundly affected by the fact that manyof the Greek city-states were slave societies. With 12 illustrations.
#358048 in Books 2001-10-31Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.99 x .72 x 5.80l; .69 #File Name: 1851682562203 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Sellers were nice to allow me to return it after 2 weeks ...By claraI actually ordered this by mistake for a course. I meant to order the other Strong book. Sellers were nice to allow me to return it after 2 weeks but I decided to keep it. I'm taking a Buddhism course but could read leisurely.17 of 19 people found the following review helpful. Extensive to extremes but not exhaustingBy SarakaniOne of the problems of this book is it is too short. It can be finished in two hours flat or around that and contained an astonishing wealth of material including much I did not know. There are such tantalising leads set up about the man; and a voluminous set of follow up sources; but the book itself is turgid.One can be overwhelmed by the amazing range of material and the author does not choose between the plausible and the implausible. Rather he generates a riotous though coherent account combining many sources; treating all the myth with the same deference as the facts (makes a refreshing change). Importantly; he edits and chooses his material well; sectioning the book and ignoring swathes of the Buddha's life from his middle period (when the order of events is obscure).This is not a biography but a gripping narrative. A sort of splash in the face about an individual; sufficiently admired to have generated so many stories; from the Bodhisatva stages (where the author starts and dwells on- again; very novel)to the nuances of what actually happened as he lay between the Sal trees at Kusinara. One feels the impact of an immense being; and is left fairly breathless and wishing more.Perhaps a longer book with more historical background could have helped. Extraordinary detail and scholarship from a contributor to "King Asoka and Buddhism".A very up to date account of current scholarship and interest.
