The Cattle of the Sun: Cows and Culture in the World of the Ancient Greeks

(Hardback)

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Description

Though Greece is traditionally seen as an agrarian society, cattle were essential to Greek communal life. This title explores why these animals mattered to the Greeks, how they came to be a key element in Greek thought and behavior, and how the Greeks exploited the symbolic value of cattle as a way of structuring social and economic relations.

Reviews

"[T]his book is well crafted and insightful. It should appeal to a relatively broad audience, across a variety of disciplines, sparking curiosity among many to engage in new theoretical ideas about antiquity and to consider ties among lines of evidence that they may not have considered before."--Michael MacKinnon, Canadian Journal of History "In sum, this is an excellent book in many regards. For understanding Greek religion and sanctuaries and the Greek economy, and as a contribution to the growing field of studies on animals in historical contexts, I think it should assume a central place... [I]t is ... a work of great value that contributes much to ancient Mediterranean studies."--Gary D. Farney, Journal Of World History "In yet another instance, Princeton University Press must be commended for making an important, powerfully argued book available at a very reasonable price... [T]his book must be a worthwhile accession to major college and university libraries, where all interested in the lately flourishing field of human-animal relations as well as antiquarians who study Greek religion and/or other early cultural-civic institutions and ancient economy may wish to consult it, if in fact they do not take advantage of its attractive price to acquire it for themselves."--Victor Castellani, European Legacy

Author Bio

Jeremy McInerney is the Davidson Kennedy Professor of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and author of "The Folds of Parnassos".