Bread and Circuses: Historical Sociology and Political Pluralism

by Paul Veyne, Brian Pearce (Translator), Oswyn Murray (Editor)

The phenomenon, known as "euergetism", is one of the most striking features of the ancient world. It can be seen as a form of altruism, civic pride or wealth redistribution, a means of buying honour, prestige or political power, yet one thing is clear: it was long regarded as a duty and privilege of the wealthy to benefit their fellow citizens. To understand why, suggests Professor Veyne, we need to forget about abstract theories and modern economics. Rather, we should examine what really happened before the Christian era in Hellenistic Greece and the Rome of the Republic and the Emperors.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Roman

528 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1990

About the author

Paul Veyne was a French historian and a specialist on Ancient Rome. A former student of the École normale supérieure and member of the École française de Rome, he was professor at the Collège de France.

Professeur honoraire au Collège de France, Paul Veyne était un des plus grands historiens français de l’Antiquité romaine. Ses nombreuses publications sur la sociologie romaine ou les mythes grecs, rédigés d’une plume alerte et joyeuse, l’ont fait connaître du grand public.

http://www.college-de-france.fr/site/...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Veyne

Reviews

[Dana Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A study of the ancient practice of euergetism: the custom of political figures paying for public works and civic benefits out of their private funds, from the Greek cities to the Roman Republic and Empire. Perhaps more interesting for Veyne's reflections on the relationship between ideology and political/economic systems and on historical method than on euergetism per se. Also interesting as a very different style of academic writing than that currently in vogue. Although I confess to skimming the last hundred pages...

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Today's notion of philanthropy as "voluntary action for the public good" is positively ancient.