A History of the Greek City States 700-338 BC

by Raphael Sealey

This book introduces the reader to the serious study of Greek history, concentrating more on problems than on narrative. The topics selected have been prominent in modern research & references to important discussions of these have been provided. Outlined are controversial issues of which differing views can be defended. Sealey's preference is for interpretations which see Greek history as the interaction of personalities, rather than for those which see it as a struggle for economic classes or of abstract ideas. Sealey assumes that the Greek cities of the archaic & classical periods didn't inherit any political institutions from the Bronze Age; that the extensive invasions that brought Mycenaean civilization to an end destroyed political habits as effectively as stone palaces. Accordingly, he believes that the Greeks of the historic period were engaged in the fundamental enterprise of building organized society out of nothing. The 1st chapters of this work deal with the stops taken by the early tyrants, in Sparta & Athens, toward constructing stable organs of authority & of political expression. In later chapters, interest shifts to relations that developed between the states & especially to the development of lasting alliances. Attention is given to the Peloponnesian League, to the Persian Wars, to the Delian League & to the 2nd Athenian Sea League of the 4th century.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Greece, Ancient History, Classics, Ancient

538 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Raphael Sealey was a professor of history at the University of California (Berkeley) 1967-2000 and author of a number of books on the history of Classical Greece.

Reviews

[Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most histories I've read of ancient Greece basically tell you about Athens, and how wonderful it was, a smear about Sparta, and that's it.

This is very detailed, interacts with other historians and the sources. The book is well worth the time.

[Leon McNair · Rating 4 out of 5]

A History Of The Greek City States 700-338BC

This book was a very challenging, in-depth analysis and erudite read of Archaic and Classical Greece which took me over a course of months to finish. As is usual with these sorts of books, it requires another read to better grasp at the deeper intricacies and developments behind each independent Greek city-state revealing how they viewed themselves among other city-states and the wider known-world, such as that between Athens and Sparta, Megara and Corinth, and the Persian opponents that often led them to band together in Leagues to tackle a common, stronger, enemy. The author himself has somewhat split the book in half, wherein the first half discusses many individual city-states and how they came to be, emerging from a lost Mycenaean culture and politics or written system of the Bronze Age, with even the “obscure” states being given a respectable space and acknowledgement. Not only does the author discuss the usual common themes on similarities and dissimilarities of religion, culture, and politics between these states throughout the developing centuries, but also their relationships of terrain and close allies and enemies; how each state was able to function economically in their topographical location; how they governed and settled land, sowed and ploughed with improving agriculture, expanded these lands; currency and laws, if different, between neighbouring states; Sparta and Athens being two over-arching states, the alliances and dealings with them are also explored, among other things, such as Corinth’s and Megara’s strategically-placed city-states when it comes to military tactics, making them appealing as allies against Sparta’s and Athens’ constant struggle and bid for dominance. The other half of the book then dives into more of the warring side, and the struggle for alliances between Leagues – Delian League and Peloponnesian League mostly – whilst also discussing Athens’ Peisistratus’ rule and dynasty as tyrant of Athens; the battles between Athens and Sparta dominates the second-half of the book, particularly the Peloponnesian Wars, then later leading on to Persian wars and then finally with the succession of Macedon with Philip II.

The book is in three Parts, and with each Part the author makes it clear the ancient sources that he uses, how reliable they are or can be, and why they can be trusted – or not – in the reconstructing effort of ancient Greece. These sources, usually in fragmented form, come from the likes of contemporary times such as Thucydides, or Herodotus, but can include little mentions from Sophocles or Solon, or Cleisthenes and Demosthenes. He does sometimes use medieval sources as well, not pinning his work solely on the examples of ancient and sometimes questionable sources, pitting them both against modern research: the author makes it clear when he has doubts of how trustworthy or exaggerated a claim is, which is usually done to exemplify a tyrant, war-hero, city-state, or victory in battle.

Overall, it is a great book that also includes a helpful map at the back of where the cities are located, and is very scholarly, and it is one I am glad to have now read.

[Martin Adamian · Rating 3 out of 5]

While exciting in the first chapters, the book turns into something of a slog once the author moves on from the thematic chapters to the wars starting with the Persian wars. There is much more minute detail about diplomatic exchanges, battles and their chronologies than I cared to know about. As one reviewer noted, the book is definitely inadequate as a general textbook of ancient Greek history because of how little attention it gives to culture, including material culture, belief systems, and literature. Did we really need all those appendices, sometimes on pretty arcane topics, instead of having a chapter dedicated to culture? Don’t read this expecting an especially captivating look into ancient Greek society and thinking. But it is valuable for students who want to see how historians of ancient Greece must methodically and carefully reconstruct the past with meager and/or contradictory evidence.

Sealey’s approach to ancient Greek society is understandable, but I’m not fully convinced by his argument that most political struggles can be explained as competition between elites and their followings (as opposed to class struggle between 'horizontal' groupings). Some of the criticisms of “patronage theory” made by E. P. Thompson may be applicable here.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scholarly and tendentious, Sealey's assumption of Hellenic political developments arising ex nihilo owing to invasions having destroyed the bronze age polities is dubious and debateable.

[F Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and useful, but not a first choice for those seeking a narrative history of ancient Greece.