Literacy and Orality in Ancient Greece (Key Themes in Ancient History) ( Paperback ) by Thomas, Rosalind published by Cambridge University Press

Key Themes in Ancient History

by Rosalind Thomas

This book explores the role of written and oral communication in Greece, and is the first systematic and sustained treatment at this level. The subject of literacy is very hard to think about objectively, and extensive oral communication is commonly regarded merely as a feature of the primitive. Ancient Greece challenges many of our assumptions about both and is receiving increased attention from scholars. Rosalind Thomas examines the recent theoretical debates about literacy and orality and explores the uses of writing and oral communication, and their interaction, in ancient Greece. She is concerned to set the significance of written and oral communication as much as possible in their social and historical context, and to stress the specifically Greek characteristics in their use, arguing that the functions of literacy and orality are often fluid and culturally determined. Her book draws together the results of recent studies and suggests further avenues of enquiry. Individual chapters deal with (among other things) the role of writing in archaic Greece, oral poetry, the visual and monumental impact of writing, the performance and oral transmission even of written texts, and the use of writing by the city-states; there is an epilogue on Rome. All ancient evidence is translated and there are illustrations. Students of ancient history and classics, and anyone interested in literacy and orality, will find this book of importance to them.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Language, Books About Books

Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Molli Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very interesting read, for what I assumed to be a relatively dry topic, I was engaged and intrigued by the concepts put forward. I'm glad now that it was on my uni reading list - although a little less glad about the constant note taking.

[taʔaf Avedisian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid book, learned quite a bit, though was a touch repetitive. Useful as a scholarly reference rather than a read-through