Drama Oratory and Thucydides in Fifth-Century Athens

<p>This study centres on the rhetoric of the Athenian empire Thucydides’ account of the Peloponnesian War and the notable discrepancies between his assessment of Athens and that found in tragedy funeral orations and public art. </p><p></p><p>Mills explores the contradiction between Athenian actions and their self-representation arguing that Thucydides’ highly critical cynical approach to the Athenian empire does not reflect how the average Athenian saw his city’s power. The popular education of the Athenians as presented to them in funeral speeches drama and public art told a very different story from that presented by Thucydides’ history and it was far more palatable to ordinary Athenians since it offered them a highly flattering portrayal of their city and by extension each individual who made up that city.</p><p>Drama Oratory and Thucydides in Fifth-Century Athens: Teaching Imperial Lessons offers a fascinating insight into Athenian self-representation and will be of interest to anyone working on classical Athens the Greek polis and classical historiography.</p>