Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens: Rhetoric, Ideology, and the Power of the People

by Josiah Ober

Book Overview

This book asks an important question often ignored by ancient historians and political scientists alike: Why did Athenian democracy work as well and for as long as it did? Josiah Ober seeks the answer by analyzing the sociology of Athenian politics and the nature of communication between elite and nonelite citizens. After a preliminary survey of the development of the Athenian "constitution," he focuses on the role of political and legal rhetoric...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691028648
• ISBN13: 9780691028644
• Release Date: July 1991
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 408 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.3"