Old Oligarch - The Constitution of the Athenians Attributed to Xenophon

Old Oligarch is a label often applied to the unknown author of the Athenian Constitution preserved with the works of Xenophon. Probably written in the mid 420s B.C., it is the earliest surviving Athenian prose text, and its author was probably a young pupil of the teachers known as sophists. It is an essay which replies to oligarchic criticisms of the Athenian democracy by agreeing with the critics that democracy is distasteful but arguing that it is appropriate for Athens as a city whose power depends on the poorer citizens who row the navys ships, and that it is successful and could not easily be overthrown. This edition provides a Greek text and English translation, with Introduction, Commentary and Appendixes which discuss the date, authorship and character of the work, the historical background, the statements and arguments presented by the author and features of the authors style.

About the author

J L Marr was Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Exeter. P J Rhodes was Professor of Ancient History and is now Honorary Professor at the University of Durham.

Product details

• Authors: J. L. Marr, Pseudo-Xenophon, P. J. Rhodes
• Assisted by: J. L. Marr (Editor), P. J. Rhodes (Editor)
• Publisher: Aris & Phillips
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 26.07.2008
• EAN: 9780856687761
• ISBN: 978-0-85668-776-1
• No. of pages: 208
• Series: Classical Texts; Aris and Phillips Classical Te; Classical Texts
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature; Humanities, art, music > History > Antiquity; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education