The Athenian Republic: Democracy Or The Rule Of Law?
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Edition: 1st ed.,
Condition remarks:
Book: Very good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good
At the heart of Western civilization lies a deceptively simple question: was Athens a democracy, or was it a republic governed by the supremacy of law? Raphael Sealey's The Athenian Republic: Democracy or the Rule of Law? presents a rigorous and groundbreaking reexamination of Athenian political life, challenging the long-held assumption that ancient Athens was the birthplace of pure democratic governance. Drawing on a meticulous reading of classical sources, Sealey argues that the Athenians were less concerned with the will of the majority than with the integrity of their legal institutions, positioning Athens as a proto-republic rather than a direct democracy. Sealey writes with the authority of a seasoned classical historian, weaving legal analysis, political theory, and historical scholarship into a seamless and compelling narrative. His work stands as a significant intervention in the study of ancient political thought, compelling scholars and general readers alike to reconsider the foundations upon which modern democratic ideals are built. For anyone who has ever wondered whether our inherited image of Athens as the cradle of democracy is more myth than reality, this volume offers a provocative and deeply researched answer that unsettles as much as it illuminates.
Author: Raphael Sealey
Format: Hardback
Published: 1987, The Pennsylvania State University Press
Genre: Ancient history
Edition: 1st ed.,
Condition remarks:
Book: Very good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good
At the heart of Western civilization lies a deceptively simple question: was Athens a democracy, or was it a republic governed by the supremacy of law? Raphael Sealey's The Athenian Republic: Democracy or the Rule of Law? presents a rigorous and groundbreaking reexamination of Athenian political life, challenging the long-held assumption that ancient Athens was the birthplace of pure democratic governance. Drawing on a meticulous reading of classical sources, Sealey argues that the Athenians were less concerned with the will of the majority than with the integrity of their legal institutions, positioning Athens as a proto-republic rather than a direct democracy. Sealey writes with the authority of a seasoned classical historian, weaving legal analysis, political theory, and historical scholarship into a seamless and compelling narrative. His work stands as a significant intervention in the study of ancient political thought, compelling scholars and general readers alike to reconsider the foundations upon which modern democratic ideals are built. For anyone who has ever wondered whether our inherited image of Athens as the cradle of democracy is more myth than reality, this volume offers a provocative and deeply researched answer that unsettles as much as it illuminates.