Product Description

An exploration of the work of Athenaeus. The work emerges as no mere compendium of earlier texts, but as a vibrant work of complex structure and substantial creativity. The volume seeks to make sense of the massive and polyphonous "Deipnosophistae" ("Philosophers at Supper"), the quarry upon which classicists and ancient historians depend for their knowledge of much ancient literature, particularly comedy, and also the source of much of the data used by modern historians for the social history of the classical and hellenistic worlds. The 41 chapters, written by an international team of literary specialists and historians, each tackle a significant feature, and the book is divided into seven sections, each prefaced by introductory remarks from the editors.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #232952 in Books
• Published on: 2000-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 648 pages

Review
"Although Athenaeus' magnum opus is so crucial a text for our knowledge of classical literature and society, his own work has received astonishingly little interest among scholars. In response to this palpable oversight, the editors some years ago organised an international conference to celebrate and explore Athenaeus and his legacy. This weighty volume includes most of the papers from that conference . . . Each contributor is an expert in his specialist field and so offers a uniquely scholarly insight into Athenaeus, his sources and reliability . . . Each contribution is backed up by a wealth of scholarly notes and a helpful general bibliography . . . There is something for everyone here, whether scholar or just interested Hellenist. It might even make you turn to Athenaeus himself and start reading him." -The Anglo-Hellenic Review, No. 25, Spring 2002