Literacy and Democracy in Fifth-Century AthensWho wrote the administrative documents of Athens? Was literacy extensive in ancient Attika? Were inscriptions, those on stone or pieces of pottery (ostraka), written, read and comprehended by common people? In this book Anna Missiou gives full consideration to these questions of crucial importance for understanding the quality of Athenian democracy and culture. She explores how the Kleisthenic reforms provided new contexts and new subject matter for writing. It promoted the exchange of reliable information between the demes, the tribes and the urban centre on particular important issues, including the mobilization of the army and the political organization of the citizen body. Through a close analysis of the process through which Athenian politicians were ostracised and a fresh examination of the involvement of common citizens in the Council of 500, Missiou undermines the current orthodoxy that literacy was not widespread among Athenians. Literacy underwrote the effective functioning of Athenian democracy. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
chapter 1 The geography of literacy | 11 |
chapter 2 Literacy and political ethos | 36 |
chapter 3 Literacy through intermediaries | 56 |
chapter 4 Literacy through intermediaries | 85 |
chapter 5 Athenian literacy in its sociopolitical context | 109 |
Conclusions | 143 |
technical difficulties and personal assumptions | 150 |
appendix ii For an early date of the institution of the prytaneis | 160 |
councillorsprytaneis from remote demes | 163 |
Bibliography | 169 |
Index locorum | 195 |
| 202 | |
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Common terms and phrases
ability According Agora Akropolis Ancient appear argued Aristeides Assembly assigned Athenian Athens attested Attic Attika bearing Brenne Broneer candidates centre Chapter citizens Classical communication concerning consider Council councillors counting dated decree demes democracy discussion documents early equality evidence example existence fact fifth century Figure functioning Greek hands Harris Hesperia Hippokrates IG I3 important included indicate individual inscribed inscriptions institution Kerameikos Kleisthenic later letters Lewis lines literacy literate majority means meetings needs notes officials organization ostracism ostraka ostrakon particular patronymic period Persian persons political prytaneis question records refer reforms regard respectively Rhodes School secretary served single sixth social society sources space stone Studies suggests tablets term texts Themistokles theta trans tribal tribe University Press Vanderpool various vote voters wooden writing written