Xenophon

Dr Fiona Hobden (Senior Lecturer in Greek Culture, University of Liverpool, UK)

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English

Bloomsbury Academic
12 November 2020

Literary studies: classical, early & medieval; Classical history & classical civilisation

Series: Ancients in Action

This book offers a concise introduction to Xenophon, the Athenian historian, political thinker, moral philosopher and literary innovator who was also a pupil of Socrates, a military general on campaign in Persia, and an exile in residence in the Peloponnese during the late fifth and fourth centuries BC. Alive during one of the most turbulent periods in Greek history, Xenophon wrote extensively about the past and present. In doing so he not only invented several new genres, but also developed pointed political analyses and probing moral critiques.

It is the purpose of this book to explore Xenophon’s life, writing and ideas, and reception through thematic studies that draw upon the full range of his work.

Starting with his approach to the past and to Socrates, it demonstrates how the depiction of events and people from previous times and places are inflected with contemporary concerns about political instability and the challenges of leadership, as well as by a ‘Socratic’ perspective on politics and morality.

The following in-depth examination of Xenophon’s theories concerning political organization and the bases for a good life highlight the interconnectivity of his ideas about how to live together and how to live well.

Although Xenophon addresses conceptual issues, his writings provide a practical response to real-life problems.

Finally, an evaluation of his significance as an inspiration to later writers in their creative interrogations of human affairs brings the investigations to a close. This book thus illuminates Xenophon’s importance within the vibrant intellectual culture of ancient Greece as an active participant in and evaluator of his world, as well as his impact over time.

By: Dr Fiona Hobden (Senior Lecturer in Greek Culture University of Liverpool UK)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
Weight: 340g
ISBN: 9781474298483
ISBN 10: 1474298486
Series: Ancients in Action
Pages: 168
Publication Date: 12 November 2020
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Acknowledgements Abbreviations Maps Illustrations Introduction: Words and Deeds Life Stories Life’s Work Chapter 1: Writing History On Greek Affairs Modelling Persian Kingship Stepping into History Conclusion Chapter 2: Remembering Socrates 45 Dialogue or Drama? 46 Philosophy in Action 48 Defence Ghost in the Machine Conclusion Chapter 3: Rethinking the Polis 64 Informed Leadership and Constructive Citizenship 65 Law and Order in a Surveillance Society Happy Tyrants make Happy Cities Towards Peacetime Prosperity Conclusion Chapter 4: Living a Good Life Virtue vs Vice Personal Morality and Public Service Best of the Greeks Virtues for All Conclusion Chapter 5: Thinking through Xenophon Integration Emulation Transmission Rebirth Revival Conclusion Conclusion: The Stranger’s Voice Further Reading Index

Fiona Hobden is Senior Lecturer in Greek Culture at the University of Liverpool, UK. Xenophon has been an abiding presence in her teaching and research, including in her monograph The Symposion in Ancient Greek Society and Thought (2013) and her co-edited volume Xenophon: Ethical Principles and Historical Enquiry (2012).

Reviews for Xenophon

It is good to see Xenophon being treated seriously by classicists; he certainly deserves to be rescued from his narrow slot as a repository of 'easy' Greek for students just before and after GCSE. This book should be widely known and used. * Classics for All *