John of Salisbury and the Medieval Roman Renaissance [Hardcover]

This book is a detailed but accessible treatment of the political thought of John of Salisbury, a twelfth-century author and educationalist who rose from a modest background to become Bishop of Chartres. It shows how aspects of John's thought - such as his views on political cooperation and virtuous rulership were inspired by the writings of Roman philosophers, notably Cicero and Seneca. Investigating how John accessed and adapted the classics, the book argues that he developed a hybrid political philosophy by taking elements from Roman Stoic sources and combining them with insights from patristic writings. By situating his ideas in their political and intellectual context, it offers a reassessment of John's political thought, as well as a case study in classical reception of relevance to students and scholars of political philosophy and the history of ideas.

Introduction

1 The Roman inheritance

2 Nature and reason

3 Defining duties: The cooperative model of the polity

4 Political relationships in context: The body politic

5 Moderation and the virtuous life

6 The princely head

Conclusion

Index

O'Daly (Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands) offers a contextualized history of the political thought of John of Salisbury...This thoughtful study will interest specialists of medieval thought and politics. - B. J. Maxson, East Tennessee State University, Choice - Summing Up: Recommended. Advanced undergraduates and above

The case made for John of Salisbury's Stoic influences is forceful throughout, and she makes a strong case that that topic has been understudied...It adds richly to the conversation on this important writer in general; going further, scholars concerned with the broader subjects of classical reception and the place of Cicero and Seneca in medieval intellectual history will appreciate its learned content. - John Hosler (Command and General Staff College), Hló"