From the mid-sixth to the mid-fourth century BCE a nexus of connections to Thrace defined the careers of several of Athens' most prominent figures, including Pisistratus, Miltiades, Alcibiades and Iphicrates. This book explores the importance of Thrace to these individuals and its resulting significance in the political, cultural and social history of Athens. Thrace was vitally important for Athens thanks to its natural resources and access to strategic waterways, which were essential to a maritime empire, and connections to the area conferred wealth and military influence on certain Athenians and offered them a refuge if they faced political persecution at home. However, Thrace's importance to prominent individuals transcended politics: its culture was also an important draw. Thrace was a world free of Athenian political, social and cultural constraints – one that bore a striking resemblance to the world of Homeric epic.
Author(s): Matthew A. Sears
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2017
Language: English
Pages: xvi+328
City: Cambridge
Cover
Athens, Thrace, and the Shaping of Athenian Leadership - Half title Page
Dedication
Title page
Copyright page
Contents
List of Figures and Maps
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgments
Chapter One - Introduction
Chapter Two - Thrace as Resource and Refuge I
Chapter Three - Thrace as Resource and Refuge II
Chapter Four - Athenian Ambivalence toward Thracians and Thracophiles
Chapter Five - The Cultural Appeal of Thrace for the Athenian Elite
Chapter Six - Thrace as Military Academy
Chapter Seven - Epilogue
Bibliography
Index
