Product Description

The first volume is devoted to the period which begins with the era of Greek colonization and ends with the close of the Peloponnesian War in 404 B. C. Charles Fornara has gathered together material compiled from inscriptions, ancient encyclopedias, scholia, and similar sources. The material, much of it translated by him for the first time, covers not only events of national significance - wars and treaties, the founding of towns and colonies, the dedication of temples - but also presents such records of daily life as ration lists, wine trade regulations, inventories of treasure, drinking songs, and financial records. The documents are accompanied by a brief commentary, which is basically intended to clarify obscurities in the text. An extensive glossary and indexes explain obscure terms of Greek social and governmental structure and permit detailed prosopographical analysis. This book will be welcomed by students and teachers of ancient history.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #236748 in Books
• Published on: 1983-04-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Customer Reviews

indispensible for students
This collection of inscriptions is highly useful for students studying any period of Athens' history up to the Peloponnesian war.

The inscriptions provide useful examples for essays and discussion of treaties, dedications and laws of Athens.

In each document Fornara begins with a brief decription of the
site it was found at and any relevant material. He also gives possible dates, in many cases he quotes several from the interpretations of differnet scholars but unfortunately gives no indication as to where his preference lies. In the documents themselves he clearly distinguishes between what can be read on the original inscription and what has been reconstructed, often offering alternatives and in several cases of very fragmentary texts gives two or three separte reconstructions.

Has useful appendices such as a list of archons and demes and lists of geographical and place names that are very helpful. The introduction likewise gives helpful background information to aid the reader such as the Athenian calendar and coinage systems.

Not a bedtime read but for students of the period both helpful and interesting