Kinship in Ancient Athens: An Anthropological Analysis
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Author Description
The Concept Of Kinship Is At The Heart Of Understanding Not Only The Structure And Development Of A Society, But Also The Day-to-day Interactions Of Its Citizens. Kinship In Ancient Athens Aims To Illuminate Both Of These Issues By Providing A Comprehensive Account Of The Structures And Perceptions Of Kinship In Athenian Society, Covering The Archaic And Classical Periods From Drakon And Solon Up To Menander. Drawing On Decades Of Research Into A Wide Range Of Epigraphic, Literary, And Archaeological Sources, And On S. C. Humphreys' Expertise In The Intersections Between Ancient History And Anthropology, It Not Only Puts A Wealth Of Data At Readers' Fingertips, But Subjects It To Rigorous Analysis. By Utilizing An Anthropological Approach To Reconstruct Patterns Of Behaviour It Is Able To Offer Us An Ethnographic 'thick Description' Of Ancient Athenians' Interaction With Their Kin That Offers Insights Into A Range Of Social Contexts, From Family Life, Rituals, And Economic Interactions, To Legal Matters, Politics, Warfare, And More.-- S.c. Humphreys. Includes Bibliographical References ([1231]-1367) And Indexes.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates how kinship structures and perceptions functioned as the foundational framework for social organization and daily interaction in ancient Athens. S. C. Humphreys, a scholar specializing in the intersection of ancient history and anthropology, synthesizes decades of research to reconstruct the behavioral patterns of Athenian citizens. By applying anthropological methodologies to historical data, the author argues that kinship was not merely a biological or legal category but a dynamic system influencing everything from political participation to economic exchange.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of Athenian kinship from the Archaic period through the Classical era.
- Examination of social contexts including family life, ritual practices, and warfare.
- Integration of epigraphic, literary, and archaeological evidence.
Scope Limits
- The study focuses primarily on the Athenian context and does not provide a comparative analysis of other Greek city-states.
- The text is highly specialized and assumes a foundational knowledge of Athenian history and social structures.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and historians recognize this work as a rigorous application of anthropological theory to the study of the ancient world. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the exhaustive nature of the bibliographical references provided by the author.
Page Count:
1504
Publication Date:
2018-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press,
ISBN-10:
0191092398
ISBN-13:
9780191092398
History
Manners and customs
Anthropology
Ancient Greece
kingship
Social History
Social Science
Sociology
Community Tags
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