Gadfly on Trial: Socrates as Citizen and Social Critic ©Josiah Ober, Princeton University Suggested Reading: Plato, Apology Plato, Crito Socrates of Athens is an enduring presence in the western imagination,… Read more
Women and Family in Athenian Law K. Kapparis, University of Florida Suggested Reading: Apollodoros, Against Neaira (Transmitted among the speeches of Demosthenes, as number 59) Demosthenes 57, Against Euboulides Athenian authors of the classical period imagined a mythical past where women… Read more
Sycophancy and Attitudes to Litigation Matthew R. Christ, University of Indiana Suggested Reading: Aristophanes, Wasps Athens gave birth not only to democratic legal process but also to a lively discussion of the proper role of law and litigation in the lives of the citizens of… Read more
Athenian Homicide Law: Case Studies Michael Gagarin, University of Texas at Austin Suggested Reading: Antiphon 1, Against the Stepmother Lysias 1, On the Murder of Eratosthenes We know of relatively few prosecutions for homicide in classical Athens and it is… Read more
Law and Economy in Classical Athens. [Demosthenes]: Against Dionysodorus Edward M. Harris, Brooklyn College Suggested Reading: Demosthenes 56, Against Dionysodorus Sometime around 322 BCE a man named Dareius brought a private action in an Athenian court against a merchant called Dionysodorus. Dareius and his business… Read more
Transforming Disputes into Cases: Demosthenes 55, Against Kallikles Steven Johnstone, University of Arizona Suggested Reading: Demosthenes 55, Against Kallikles When you read even a few speeches of Athenian litigants, when you closely follow the arguments of any one, when you consider that witnesses but… Read more
An Introduction to Classical Athenian Democracy — Overview Christopher W. Blackwell, Furman University Contents Introduction The Dêmos Athenian Democracy: an Overview Athenian Democracy: the Assembly Athenian Democracy: the Council Athenian Democracy: Legislation Athenian Democracy: the Council of the Areopagus Athenian Democracy:… Read more
Schedule of Lecture, Readings, and Discussion Questions Week 1 Background Lecture Week 2 Lecture 1: The Shield of Achilles and Illiad 1 Readings Central: The Shield of Achilles passage (Iliad 18.478-608) and Iliad 1 Additional: Iliad 2-8,… Read more
Lectures Week 1 Background Lecture Week 2 Telemakhos’ journey. Law and justice in Odysseus’ absence. Fathers and sons and the unjust suitors. Lecture One Week 3 The songs of Demodokos. The journey of Odysseus and getting to know the noos of those he encounters. Connecting… Read more
Further Resources Primary Texts The speeches of the Attic orators are all available at the Perseus Project website. The site is arranged alphabetically by author. Each speech is available in English and transliterated Greek. The site parses each Greek word and offers a… Read more
