Comprises essays from leading scholars in history, classics, philosophy, and political science to illuminate Greek and Roman political thought in all its diversity and depth. Offers a broad survey of ancient political thought from Archaic Greece through Late Antiquity. Approaches ancient political philosophy from both a normative and historical focus. Examines Greek and Roman political thought within historical context and contemporary debate. Explores the role of ancient political thought in a range of philosophies, such as the individual and community, human rights, religion, and cosmopolitanism.

Table of Contents

• Notes on Contributors
• Acknowledgments
• Note on Translations
• List of Abbreviations
• PART I The Broad View
• 1 Introduction: Rethinking the History of Greek and Roman Political Thought - Ryan K. Balot
• 2 What is Politics in the Ancient World? - Dean Hammer
• 3 Early Greek Political Thought in Its Mediterranean Context - Kurt A. Raaflaub
• 4 Civic Ideology and Citizenship - P. J. Rhodes
• 5 Public Action and Rational Choice in Classical Greek Political Theory - Josiah Ober
• 6 Imperial Ideologies, Citizenship Myths, and Legal Disputes in Classical Athens and Republican Rome - Craige B. Champion
• 7 Gendered Politics, or the Self-Praise of Andres Agathoi - Giulia Sissa
• 8 The Religious Contexts of Ancient Political Thought - Robin Osborne
• PART II Democracies and Republics
• 9 Democracy Ancient and Modern - Peter Liddel
• 10 “Rights,” Individuals, and Communities in Ancient Greece - Paul Cartledge and Matt Edge
• 11 Personal Freedom in Greek Democracies, Republican Rome, and Modern Liberal States - Robert W. Wallace
• 12 The Mixed Constitution in Greek Thought - David E. Hahm
• 13 Republican Virtues - Malcolm Schofield
• 14 Roman Democracy? - W. Jeffrey Tatum
• PART III The Virtues and Vices of One-Man Rule
• 15 The Uses and Abuses of Tyranny - Sara Forsdyke
• 16 Hellenistic Monarchy in Theory and Practice - Arthur M. Eckstein
• 17 The Ethics of Autocracy in the Roman World - Carlos F. Noreña
• PART IV The Passions of Ancient Politics
• 18 Political Animals: Pathetic Animals - Giulia Sissa
• 19 Anger, Eros, and Other Political Passions in Ancient Greek Thought - Paul W. Ludwig
• 20 Some Passionate Performances in Late Republican Rome - Robert A. Kaster
• PART V The Athens of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
• 21 The Trial and Death of Socrates - Debra Nails
• 22 The Politics of Plato's Socrates - Rachana Kamtekar
• 23 Freedom, Tyranny, and the Political Man: Plato's Republic and Gorgias, a Study in Contrasts - Arlene W. Saxonhouse
• 24 Plato on the Sovereignty of Law - Zena Hitz
• 25 “Naturalism” in Aristotle's Political Philosophy - Timothy Chappell
• 26 The Ethics of Aristotle's Politics - David J. Depew
• PART VI Constructing Political Narrative
• 27 Imitating Virtue and Avoiding Vice: Ethical Functions of Biography, History, and Philosophy - Charles W. Hedrick, Jr
• 28 Greek Drama and Political Thought - John Gibert
• 29 Character in Politics - Philip A. Stadter
• PART VII Antipolitics
• 30 Cosmopolitan Traditions - David Konstan
• 31 False Idles: The Politics of the “Quiet Life” - Eric Brown
• 32 Citizenship and Signs: Rethinking Augustine on the Two Cities - Todd Breyfogle
• PART VIII Receptions
• 33 Republicanism: Ancient, Medieval, and Beyond - Christopher Nadon
• 34 Twentieth Century Revivals of Ancient Political Thought: Hannah Arendt and Leo Strauss - Catherine H. Zuckert
• References