Athens on Trial: The Antidemocratic Tradition in Western Thought

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The Classical Athenians were the first to articulate and implement the notion that ordinary citizens of no particular affluence or education could make responsible political decisions. This book charts responses to Athenian democracy from Athens itself through the twentieth century, exploring a debate that touches upon historiography, and ethics.

Reviews

"Roberts has given us an excellent study of [the Athenian] legacy...Athens on Trial deserves praise both for its conception and its execution."--Eric W. Robinson, Bryn Mawr Classical Review "A first-rate intellectual and cultural history."--Stephen Goode, The Washington Times "Roberts ... writes with learning, wit, acerbity, profundity, and engagement on the vicissitudes of the idea [of democracy] in its supposedly original Athenian form."--Paul Cartledge, New Statesman & Society

Author Bio

Jennifer Tolbert Roberts is Professor of History at Southern Methodist University and Associate Professor of Classical Languages and History at the City College of New York and the CUNY Graduate Center. She is the author of Accountability in Athenian Government (Wisconsin) and, with Robert Zaller and Richard Greaves, Civilizations of the West (HarperCollins).