Xenophon and the Athenian democracy : the education of an elite citizenry / Matthew R. Christ.
"This book seeks to understand Xenophon as an elite Athenian writing largely for an elite Athenian audience in the first half of the fourth century B.C. It argues that Xenophon calls on men of his own class to set aside their assumptions of superiority based on birth or wealth and to reinvent t...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Ebook |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY :
Cambridge University Press,
2020.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Click here to view this book |
| Summary: | "This book seeks to understand Xenophon as an elite Athenian writing largely for an elite Athenian audience in the first half of the fourth century B.C. It argues that Xenophon calls on men of his own class to set aside their assumptions of superiority based on birth or wealth and to reinvent themselves as individuals who can provide effective leadership to the democratic city and serve it as good citizens. Xenophon challenges, criticizes, and sometimes satirizes the Athenian elite, and seeks to instruct them concerning the values, knowledge, and practical skills they will need to succeed as civic leaders. Xenophon is thus best understood not as an aristocratic dinosaur who is out of place in a democratic setting, as some have assumed, but as a thoughtful and pragmatic reformist who seeks to ensure that meritorious members of the elite step forward to lead within the democracy"-- |
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| Physical Description: | 1 online resource (ix, 215 pages) |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 1108852734 9781108852739 |