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Greek History

Required Reading for M.A. Classical Antiquities Comprehensive Exam in Greek History.

1. General Reading
   1. You should read Pomeroy, Burstein, Donlan, Roberts, Ancient Greece: A Political, Social, and Cultural History for a general overview of Greek history.
   2. You should also read carefully the following translated ancient sources:
      • Herodotus, The Histories (trans. A. de Sélincourt) with introduction by John marincola.
      • Thucydides, The History of the Peloponnesian War (trans. Rex Warner) with introduction by M. I. Finley and all appendices of The Landmark Thucydides
      • Xenophon, A History of My Times (trans. Rex Warner) with introduction by George Cawkwell)
      • J. M. Moore (ed.), Aristotle and Xenophon on Democracy and Oligarchy with commentary and introductions.
      • W. Robert Connor (ed.), Greek Orations with introductions.
      • Plutarch, The Rise and Fall of Athens or Plutarch, The Age of Alexander with introductions.
      • P. R. McKechnie and S. J. Kern (eds) Hellenica Oxyrhynchia with introductions and commentary.
      • N.B.: To get the most out of these readings you should read the overview (A) in close conjunction with the ancient sources (B).
   3. In consultation with your professor, you should select two important inscriptions from Translated Documents of Greece and Rome 1: Archaic Times to the End of the Peloponnesian War (ed. Charles W. Fornara) or Translated Documents of Greece and Rome 2: From the End of the Peloponnesian War to the Battle of Ipsus (ed. Phillip Harding). You should study the two inscriptions carefully and read two or three of the recommended articles about each.
      
      
2. Important Thematic Books
   In consultation with your professor you should read four of the following books:
   • David Cohen, Law Violence and Community in Classical Athens
   • M. I. Finley, Economy and Society in Ancient Greece (ed. Shaw and Saller)
   • Victor Hanson, The Other Greeks
   • Gabriel Herman, Ritualised Friendship and the Greek City
   • Josiah Ober, mass and Elite in Democratic Athens
   • Pierre Vidal-Naquet, The Black Hunter: Forms of Thought and Forms of Society in the Greek World
   • Narrative history chapters from a volume of the Cambridge Ancient History a)CAH III.32 Chapters 37, 38, 42, 43, 44 b) CAH IV^.2 Chapters 2, 4, 5, 8-11 c) CAH V.2 Chapters 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 d) CAH VI.2 Chapters 2, 4, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16 e) CAH VII.12 Chapters 2, 4, 5.i-iii, 7, 11, 12
     
     
3. Special Periods and Topics
   You should select one special period or topic from the following eight in consultation with your professor. The list of topics is not meant to be comprehensive, so you may instead research and design your own special topic, a more difficult proposition.
   
   
   1. History in Homer
      • Primary texts
        • Review Homer, The Iliad and The Odyssey.
      • Secondary readings
        Read the following:
        • M. I. Finley, The World of Odysseus.
        • Robin Osborne, Greece in the Making, 1200-479 BC, pp. 1-160.
        • Michael Wood, In Search of the Trojan War.
        • Ian Morris and Barry Powell, A New Companion to Homer (chapters on Homeric Society, Homeric Warfare, Homeric Ethics, Homer and the Iron Age).
        • Ian Morris, "The Use and Abuse of Homer," Classical Antiquity 5 (1986) 81-138.
        • A. M. Snodgrass, "An Historical Homeric Society," JHS 94 (1974) 114-125.
   2. The Athenian Empire and the Peloponnesian War
      • Primary texts
        • Review Thucydides, The History of the Peloponnesian War.
        • Review Xenophon, A History of My Times, Books 1 and 2.
      • Secondary readings
        1. a) Read the following:
           • Simon Hornblower, Thucydides
           • P. J. Rhodes, The Athenian Empire. Greece and Rome New Surveys in the Classics 17.
           • Harold B. mattingly, The Athenian empire restored : epigraphic and historical studies, forward, introduction, chapters 21, and 27.
           • Russell Meiggs, The Athenian Empire, chapters 1-3, 8, 11-12, 17-20.
        2. b) Read one of the following books:
           • Ernst Badian, From Plataea To Potidaea : Studies In The History And Historiography Of The Pentecontaetia (hostile to Athens).
           • G. E. M. de Ste. Croix, The Origins of the Peloponnesian War (hostile to Sparta). Read selectively.
           • Donald Kagan, The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War (balanced, but less exciting).
   3. The (short) Fourth Century (404-322)
      • Primary texts
        • Review Xenophon, A History of My Times.
        • Review Connor (ed.) Greek Orations.
        • Review Plutarch, The Age of Alexander, Agesilaus, Pelopidas, Demosthenes, Phocion.
      • Secondary readings
        1. a) Read the following books:
           • Barry S. Strauss, Athens after the Peloponnesian War: Class, Faction and Policy 403-386 BC
           • T. T. B. Ryder, Koine Eirene. General Peace and Local Independence in Ancient Greece.
           • G. L. Cawkwell, Philip of Macedon.
        2. b) Read the following articles:
           • G. T. Griffith, "Athens in the Fourth Century" in Garnsey and Whittaker, eds., Imperialism in the Ancient World.
           • Robin Seager, "The King's Peace and the Second Athenian Confederacy," CAH VI.2 156-186.
           • G. L. Cawkwell, "Euboulos" JHS 83 (1963) 47-67.
           • G. L. Cawkwell, "The Crowning of Demosthenes," CQ 19 (1969) 163-180.
   4. Alexander the Great
      • Primary texts
        • Read or review Plutarch, "Alexander."
        • Read either Arrian, The Campaigns of Alexander or Curtius Rufus, The History of Alexander.
      • Secondary readings
        1. a) Read one of the following books:
           • Ulrich Wilcken, Alexander the Great
           • Peter Green, Alexander of macedon, 356-323 B.C.: a historical biography
           • A. B. Bosworth, Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great
           • N. G. L. Hammond, The Genius of Alexander the Great
        2. b) Read the following:
           • Joseph Roisman (ed.), Alexander the Great: Ancient and Modern Perspectives.
           • Ernst Badian, "Alexander the Great and the Loneliness of Power," in Studies in Greek and Roman History 192-205.
           • Ernst Badian, "Alexander the Great and the Unity of mankind," Historia 7 (1958) 425-444.
   5. Warfare and Society
      • Primary texts
        • Aineias the Tactician: How to Survive under Siege (ed. and trans. David Whitehead)
        • Michael Sage, Warfare in Ancient Greece: A Sourcebook
      • Secondary readings
        1. a) Read the following
           • J. K. Anderson, Military Practice and Theory in the Age of Xenophon (a clear, standard treatment of classical Greek practice)
           • Pierre Ducrey, Warfare in Ancient Greece. Trans. Janet Lloyd. (a general and accessible treatment)
           • (eds. Kurt Raaflaub and Nathan Rosenstein), War and Society in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds, 129-191
           • (ed. Victor Hanson), Hoplites : the Classical Greek Battle Experience, introduction and essays 3, 6-9
        2. b) Read one of the following books
           • Victor Hanson, The Western Way of War (a detailed view of hoplite battle from the point of view of the combatants)
           • Yvon Garlan, War in the ancient world : a social history (the relationship of regimes of warfare with the class structure of the societies involved)
           • Doyne Dawson, The Origins of Western Warfare : Militarism and Morality in the Ancient World (concentrates on Greek thinking about war from a perspective drawing on theories in anthropology and political science)
   6. The Ancient Economy
      • Primary texts
        • Xenophon, Ways and Means (Poroi) and Oeconomicus
      • Secondary readings
        1. a) Read the following:
           • Ed Cohen, The Athenian Economy, A Banking Perspective
           • M. I. Finley, The Ancient Economy
           • G. E. M. de Ste. Croix, The Class Struggle in the Ancient Greek World (read selectively)
        2. b) Read either
           • Peter Garnsey, Food and Society in Classical Antiquity
             or
           • Robin Osborne, Classical Landscape with Figures
   7. Sparta
      • Primary texts
        • Review Xenophon, "The Politeia of the Spartans" in Aristotle And Xenophon On Democracy And Oligarchy (ed. J. M. Moore).
        • Review Plutarch, "Lycurgus," "Lysander," and "Agesilaus."
      • Secondary readings
        • Read the following books and articles:
        • Paul Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia: A Regional History, 1300-362 BC
        • Paul Cartledge, Agesilaos and the Crisis of Sparta, chapters 1-3, 6, 10-11, 17-22
        • Stephen Hodkinson, "Land Tenure and Inheritance in Classical Sparta" CQ 36 ( 1986) 378-406.
        • A. Powell (ed.), Classical Sparta: Techniques behind her Success
   8. Male Homosexuality
      • Primary texts
        • Plato, Symposium
        • Aeschines, Against Timarchus
      • Secondary readings
        • Read the following books and articles:
        • David Cohen, Law, Sexuality, and Society: The Enforcement of Morals in Classical Athens
        • K.J. Dover, Greek Homosexuality
        • David M. Halperin, One Hundred Years of Homosexuality, essays 1, 2, 3, 6.
        • Camille Paglia, "Junk Bonds and Corporate Raiders: Academe in the Hour of the Wolf" Arion 1 (1991) 139-212 (skim general criticisms of academia).
        • J. K. Winkler, The Constraints of Desire, essays 1, 2, 3, 5.
   9. Women and the Family
      • Primary texts
        • Lysias, On the Murder of Eratosthenes
        • [Demosthenes], Against Neaera
        • Mary Lefkowitz and maureen Fant, eds. Women's Life in Greece and Rome 4-130
      • Secondary Readings
        • Elaine Fantham et al. Women in the Classical World 5-205
        • Roger Just, Women in Athenian Law and Life
        • Sue Blundell, Women in Ancient Greece
        • Josine Blok, "Sexual Asymmetry: A Historiographical Essay" in Sexual Asymmetry: Studies in Ancient Society (ed. Josine Blok and Peter mason). Amsterdam: J. C. Gieben, 1987.
        • G. E. M. de Ste. Croix, "Some Observations on the property rights of Athenian women" CR n.s. 20 (1970) 273-278.
        • D. M. Schaps, "The Woman Least Mentioned: Etiquette and Women's Names." CQ 27 (1977) 323-331.
        • David Cohen, "Seclusion, Separation, and the Status of Women in Classical Athens" Greece and Rome 36 (1989) 3-15