Polis: A New History of the Ancient Greek City-State from the Early Iron Age to the End of Antiquity
Two thousand years of the Greek city-state, treated as a working institution rather than a backdrop to philosophy.
John Ma follows the polis from the early Iron Age to the end of antiquity, arguing that it was a durable and adaptable form of political organisation rather than a brief Athenian moment. The book leans heavily on inscriptions and archaeology, and it is long and demanding. For readers who want the institutional machinery of Greek civic life rather than its literature, it is the current standard.
Recommended by 1 Person
Tyler Cowen
John Ma, Polis: A New History of the Ancient Greek City-State from the Early Iron Age to the End of Antiquity. I didn’t read much of this book, mostly because it is too good for me to understand just how good it is. A small number of you, however, should read this book very carefully and perhaps you already have.
Source · December 2024
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