Xenophon And The History Of His Times [Hardcover]

Xenophon and the History of his Times examines Xenophon's longer historical works, the Hellenica and the Anabasis. Dillery considers how far these texts reflect the Greek intellectual world of the fourth and fifth centuries B.C., rather than focusing on the traditional question of how accurate they are as histories. Through analysis of the complete corpus of Xenophon's work, and the writings of his contemporaries, Xenophon is shown to be very much a man of his times, concerned with topical issues ranging from panhellenism and utopia to how far the gods controlled human history.
This book will be valuable reading for students on ancient history courses and for all those interested in Greek political and philosophical thought.Through an analysis of Xenophon's complete body of work, focusing on the Hellenica and Anabasis, he is shown to be very much a man of his times, with topical concerns such as panhellenism, the influence of the gods, and the idea of utopia.Preface and Acknowledgements Table of Contents Abbreviations 1. Beginnings and Ends 2. Utopia and Panhellenism: Xenophon, the Anabasis and the Spartans in Asia 3. Ideal Community, Ideal Leader: Paradigm as History 4. Xenophon, the Divine and the Crimes of Sparta Conclusion Bibliography`D avoids the temptationof proclaiming his author a misunderstod genius, wisely stressing that in his 'mediocrity' Xenophon, unlike more brilliant writers, represented the views of the majority ...' - Greece & RomeUS? 1995 John Dillery