Written Texts and the Rise of Literate Culture in Ancient Greece

This book considers how the dissemination of texts in ancient Greece led to new forms of expression.

List of contents

Preface; Contributors; Introduction: why written texts? Harvey Yunis; 1. From letters to literature: reading the 'song culture' of classical Greece Andrew Ford; 2. Writing religion: inscribed texts, ritual authority and the religious discourse of the Polis Albert Henrichs; 3. Letters of the law: written texts in archaic Greek law Michael Gagarin; 4. Writing, law and legal practice in the Athenian courts David Cohen; 5. Literacy and the charlatan in ancient Greek medicine Lesley Dean-Jones; 6. Literacy in Greek and Chinese science: some comparative issues Geoffrey Lloyd; 7. Writing philosophy: prose and poetry from Thales to Plato Charles H. Kahn; 8. Prose performance texts: Epideixis and written publication in the late fifth and early fourth centuries Rosalind Thomas; 9. Writing for reading: Thucydides, Plato and the emergence of the critical reader Harvey Yunis; 10. Reflecting on writing and culture: Theocritus and the style of cultural change Richard Hunter; Bibliography; Index.

Summary

From the sixth through the fourth centuries BCE, the landmark developments of Greek culture were accompanied by an explosive growth in the use of written texts. This book considers how writing, reading and disseminating texts led to new ways of thinking and new forms of expression and behaviour.

Product details

• Assisted by: Harvey Yunis (Editor), Yunis Harvey (Editor)
• Publisher: Cambridge Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 06.02.2003
• EAN: 9780521809306
• ISBN: 978-0-521-80930-6
• Dimensions: 160 mm x 236 mm x 25 mm
• Weight: 560 g
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics; Ancient Greece, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, Literacy, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Literacy, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Social and cultural history, Ancient (Classical) Greek, Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval