Greek and Roman Political Ideas: A Pelican Introduction

Pelican Books #5

by Melissa Lane

What is politics?

What are the origins of political philosophy?

What can we learn from the Greeks and Romans?

In Greek and Roman Political Ideas, acclaimed classics scholar Melissa Lane introduces the reader to the foundations of Western political thought, from the Greeks, who invented democracy, to the Romans, who created a republic and then transformed it into an empire. Tracing the origins of political philosophy from Socrates to Cicero to Plutarch, Lane reminds us that the birth of politics was as much a story of individuals as ideas.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Philosophy, Ancient History, Classics, Society

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2014

About the author

Melissa Lane received her PhD in philosophy from Cambridge University, where she teaches the history of political thought and political philosophy in the history faculty. She is a fellow of King's College. Her books include Method and Politics in Plato's Statesman (Cambridge University Press, 1998) and Plato's Progeny: How Plato and Socrates Still Captivate the Modern Mind (Duckworth, 2001)

Reviews

[Nikola Jankovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ovo delo je izašlo u Pelicanovoj biblioteci "Introduction", ali ne treba pogrešiti; nije to baš za potpune početnike. Ko je upoznat sa antičkim idejama, osećaće se ovde potpuno udobno, ali daleko od toga da je za nas hobi-zaljubljenike u ovaj period, baš sve potpuno ponavljanje već pročitanog.

Autorka nije od onih koji atinsku demokratiju vide kao ideal svega, ali već nakon uvoda, u kom citira Rusoov govor Ženevljanima (1764), jasno ti je na koju se stranu stavlja:

"Ancient Peoples are no longer a model for modern ones; they are too alien to them in every respect... You are neither Romans, nor Spartans; you are not even Athenians. Leave aside these great names that do not suit you. You are Merchants, Artisans, Bourgeois, always occupied with their private interests, with their work, with their trafficking, with their gain; people for whom even liberty is only a means for acquiring without obstacle and for possessing in safety."

U nastavku, fokusira se na 8 političkih / filozofskih ideja: pravda, vrlina, ustav, demokratija, državljanstvo, kozmopolitanizam, republika i suverenost, i svakoj od njih posvećuje po jedno poglavlje. Obrađuje ih iz istorijske, političke, filozofske i literarne perspektive, pri čemu primerima prikazuje da je stvarno stanje bilo daleko od onog o čemu su pisali ili čemu su stremeli.

Nije samo nabrajanje i istorijski pregled, ima interesantnih ideja. U poglavlju o pravdi, na primer, avtorka se pita "pravda za koga" i citira britanskog filozofa Bernarda Vilijamsa, koji je pisao o robovlasništvu kao o nečemu što je bilo potrebno za to doba:

"The Greek view of slavery seems generally to have been not that it was un-just, but that it was non-just. It marked the limits where justice could apply. Beyond that was a matter of sheer necessity. Williams pointed out that those in wealthy democratic societies today tolerate gross abrogations of justice too. The existence of the global poor is seen as a regrettable by-product of capitalism, or of feudal economic relations, but too often it is not seen as something that can be made just. It is tolerated as if it were a necessity, or at least an inevitability, as an institution."

Svako poglavlje ima slična zapažanja; ima ih zapravo toliko da se moja knjižica crveni od podvlačenja, ima oznaka na svakoj drugoj-trećoj strani. A crveni se i deo sa izvorima, napunila mi se virtuelna lista za kupovinu na Amazonu - i Bernard Vilijams je na njoj.

[Adriaan Jansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it still necessary to read what the ancient Romans and Greeks had to say about politics and how they structured their governments? Obviously, the answer is yes: it is always good to know where we came from. But can the Greeks and Romans help us with concrete solutions to our early 21st century issues, such as our failure to deal with long-term problems like climate change, the democratic deficit in the government of the European Union and in institutions like the IMF, the endless grid-lock in Congress in the US, the increase of inequality, the Arab spring and the proliferation of failed states? This time, the answer is not so clear-cut: sometimes we find in ancient Greece and Rome lessons that we can apply directly, sometimes we find suggestions that may not work anymore and sometimes our world is simply too different from theirs for their ideas to be relevant.

An example is the question of how to live in a non-democratic polity. Several ancient philosophers recommend us to stay away from politics and focus on inner tranquillity as the road to personal freedom: ''Freedom is no longer best embodied in political participation, though it is an idea originally modelled in political terms: now it resides in the conduct of the self'' (page 301) and ''True tranquillity lies not in political institutions, but rather in … philosophical understanding'' (page 306). Is this really helpful advise for those living in dictatorships? Massive popular uprisings such as the Arab spring seem to indicate that people prefer to take action to make a change in the regimes that govern them than to disengage entirely from the political process.

Melissa Lane guides us admirably through the main ideas of classical thought on politics. She has chosen to develop 8 political concepts to give an overview of political ideas in ancient Rome and Greece: Justice, constitution, democracy, virtue, citizenship, cosmopolitanism, republic and sovereignty. A separate chapter is dedicated to each of these 8 concepts. Also, each concept is analysed through the works of a particular author or philosopher: Herodotus gives us his ideas on constitution, Socrates and Plato talk to us about their ideas on virtue, Aristotle shares his thoughts on citizenship.

''Greek and Roman Political Ideas'' has a good balance between what the philosophers had to say about how the state should function and what was actually implemented. This was for me one of the great surprises of the book: That what some of the best known philosophers recommended was so different from what some of the democratic institutions (especially in Athens, but also elsewhere) looked like. There seemed to be a discrepancy between the suggestions of some nowadays famous philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle and what the normal people actually wanted.

The Athenians designed and implemented a democracy that was truly ''something new under the sun'' (page 95). But the famous philosophers didn't recommend this new democracy at all: Socrates and Plato propose a polity where a couple of wise men and women rule over the masses. Their Kallipolis (''Beautiful city'') looks like a scary brave new world to me. A small group rules over the many, but supposedly in a good way, because they are philosophers. However, ''they are able to shape the city's actions as well as the citizen's characters'' (page 155) while those citizens have no say whatsoever in who rules them and how they are ruled. Melissa Lane seems to say that Socrates thinks that there should be no freedom of speech or liberty of expression: ''Drama and epic poetry, and the musical modes in which they are presented, need to be strictly controlled so as not to incite inappropriate desires or attitudes'' (page 164). It gets even worse: ''(The philosophers who form the ruling class) are to copulate and bear children at the direction of the older rulers for the good of the city, to produce the best offspring, who will then be raised collectively'' (page 165). Old rulers using eugenics to fabricate a ruling class? Indeed, a brave new world.

So it is interesting to see that the Athenians didn't implement the ''top-down'' forms of government that Socrates, Plato and Aristotle (who was far more democratic than the first 2, although he seems favour a broad-based oligarchy to a full-blown democracy) suggest. The way democracy worked in Athens had very little to do with the teachings of these famous philosophers.

Which leads to the question: How influential were these philosophers in their time? Did they have massive following or operated in relative obscurity? Melissa Lane gives a hint to the answer, when she cited Callicides as he criticizes the life of philosophers: ''A life of muttering in a corner with 3 or 4 boys, never saying anything worthy of a free man, important or sufficient'' (page 144).

It is not my intention here to diminish the importance of these philosophers. Indeed, Melissa Lane gives many examples of how relevant they are in teaching us how to lead a good life: ''I went to each of you privately and conferred upon him what I say is the greatest benefit, by trying to persuade him not to care for any of his belongings before caring that he himself should be as good and as wise as possible, not to care for the city's possessions more than for the city itself, and to care for other things in the same way'' (Socrates at his trial, page 136-137).

Nevertheless, the innovative forms of government which the Athenians and Romans (during the republic) implemented in reality are for me more relevant than the constitutional recommendations of some of the great philosophers. It is with their practical solutions, rather than with their philosophical recommendations, that the ancient Greeks and Romans show their relevance for the issues in our current political environment, such as the examples at the beginning of this review.

Melissa Lane has written an accessible introduction to the political concepts of the ancient world, and has provided a useful balance between theory and practise. A good example of this balance is the description of the ''Athenian paradox'': ''Athenians act as tyrants in their empire while celebrating their maintenance of justice at home'' (page 54). It is not hard to draw a parallel between this Athenian paradox and very recent history. Another example that we need to reed the classics.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced reading copy of Melissa Lane's Greek and Roman Political Ideas from Pelican / Penguin Books.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

In these troubling times, I decided to seek out ancient guidance on the various forms of political operations and governments hoping to find some hope for our future. (play your own sad trombone sound in your head now). I failed to find a gem.

Now before you walk away thinking this is a failure of Ms. Lane, I want to be clear that she did not fail to present many alternatives to what we see today... just that the alternatives proved to be almost as bad or even worse then this poor lot we have in government presently. She calls it as she saw it, and is not an enchantress capable of casting spells able to make better governments. I may not entirely agree with her takes on things, but at least she is being straight about the politics of old with all of their strengths and weaknesses. Or perhaps it would be better to say I do not agree with all the takes, hers and the old philosophers, that the book contains. Maybe I just am wishful thinking.

I did appreciate the the brutal honesty about democracy and the flaws inherent to a system where the masses rule. When the uneducated and illiterate vote, they know not what they do. We are seeing the outcomes of that problem I feel today with so many ignorant of the way we are governed and uncaring enough to not bother to educate themselves. Self serving and led by those with gifted tongues, many today just vote as directed. Especially over single issues. There is no compromise, no negotiations, and no willingness to put forth plans that are middle ground.

Sadly, it seems Lanes can only offer up the obviously worse forms, like tyranny, or the wildly exotic forms heavily influenced with Epicurus. While I can agree with much of Epicurean philosophy, I'm not so sure about leading the people in such a manner. And there is much to be said about the rule of the "Enlightened Few" that may indeed have value today, contrary opinions today certainly.

I enjoyed reading this refresher of ancient political views on ruling and government and really have no negatives to speak of... other than no magic words to fix today's plight. I'd recommend it for those of you not well versed on ancient philosophy and forms of government as a nice entry level read. 3.5 Stars, rounded up for all the quotes I love so much.

[Andrew Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aristotle was a dafty, Plato was better. Epicurus literally had Epic in his name, he was obviously the best. (Followed by Cicero)

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such little guides/introductions are always convenient and helpful to refresh one's memory or acquire new knowledge about the past or about events in the past that influence the presence. In this case, an overview of a selection (!) of Greek and Roman political ideas/aspects/visions, otherwise the book would have been much thicker, of course.

00) Introduction: Possibilities of Power and Purpose
01) Justice
02) Constitution
03) Democracy
04) Virtue
05) Citizenship
06) Republic
07) Sovereignty
08) Futures of Greek and Roman Pasts

The first five chapter focus largely, if not entirely, on Greek politics, Greek societies. The introduction mentioned that the Romans based their politics for a large part on the Greek ideas, yet gave them an own twist over the years. The last chapters then treat the Roman view on politics.

Treating such a subject involves taking into account what the more famous persons did: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Scipio, Gaius, Augustus, and so on. It's interesting to read how concepts of the past still are applied today. How it's a never-ending wheel/cycle. How one nation has one kind of vision for itself, yet propagates another (contrasting) vision abroad. Money makes the world go around.

As it's a small guide, several topics or details were not treated, but that was not part of the scope. As it is, and especially when one wants a brief refresh, this is a good step-up to more detailed and worked out books.

Next to the obligatory notes, you'll find a list with brief biographies of key persons, events and places, as well as a list of abbreviations and references. And I'd almost forget the maps and timelines.

Mind you, do read this little guide with attention, as the writing style is fairly heavy. While I like such a style, I don't recommend you read this when you're getting tired. ;-)

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book for beginners, it’s worth reading to the end as the first couple of chapters read like an undergraduate essay (a lot of “we will talk about this and take this separately”), but Lane’s storytelling gets going and then her device does help to frame the philosophical development, otherwise wrought through the philosophers themselves. Lane provides helpful background to locate what each thinker reacted to, but often it feels too brief and skating. The final conclusion chapter reads more like a lecture, with her voice animating passages, making one wish she had used this approach for the whole work.

[PolicemanPrawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes the political philosophy of ancient Greece and ancient Rome. Each chapter has the title of a key idea: justice, constitution, democracy, virtue, and so on. It discusses such aspects as the strengths and weaknesses of the one/few/many models of monarchy, oligarchy, democracy; the difference between human and divine laws; how far the political community and its rights should extend, in terms of what kinds of people and geographical area; and what are the things that are important, virtuous, or beneficial and how we can structure society to achieve these ends.

The sophistication of the ancients was amazing, and there is much we can learn from them. Lane sharply observes that “Liberty as a constitutional value at home too often turns into despotism abroad”, a reality that continues to the present, but which is strangely considered an impossible contradiction. On the use of ostracism and the exiling of certain individuals, “It was a means by which a democratic regime sought to defend itself and its own values, even at the price of limiting the very equality under the law that it sought to defend.” It can be argued that a similar stance could become necessary in the present age. The author points out some of the stark differences between the current and ancient worlds, such as their primitive (by our standards) attitudes towards slavery and women. Overall, this book offers a fascinating perspective on some of the key issues on how we arrange our political communities. The glossary and list of Greek terms were nice additions. The writing, however, was at times overwrought, and could have been clearer and simpler.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books - beautiful, clean, classic design, they are lovely objects as well as interesting and thought-provoking reads. I found this one a bit drier than some of the others, and a little repetitive - it requires concentration, if only to bear in mind the difference between Socrates and Plato, or Cicero and Seneca. The sometimes subtle differences between different philosophies means that if you let your concentration wander for a minute then you might find yourself lost and hastily bad-tracking. It is fascinating that we are still having the same political discussions that people were having 2500 years ago. It does make me wonder two things: firstly, what's the point of philosophy if we still haven't come to any conclusions?; and whether Douglas Adams wasn't, as so often, right when he declared that no one who actually wants to rule over others should on any account be allowed to do so! Well done to Penguin though for resurrecting the Pelican imprint.

[Rika Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this from the publisher.

I was very excited to get a copy of Lane's introduction to Greek and Roman political ideas. It's a comprehensive intro that keeps the language simple to understand so that it can be read my anyone, even if they don't have a background in political science or philosophy.

I would have liked a few more maps, since I'm a visual reader and the ones included were very important to my understanding of the concepts, but nonetheless, I found this to be a good introductory resource. I've mostly been using my copy for background research, but found that the book introducing plenty of concepts that could be good for further study.

Overall, a good text with plenty of valuable, approachable info!

[Raluca Marcu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing read!! Albeit rather challenging at times, but that’s only because I’ve never read a book that deals with philosophical issues and questions quite so head on. So that took some getting used to; but once I got into it I started to enjoy it a lot and learnt a lot from it. The classical literature course I had in high school really helped out with this one, believe it or not.
Anyhow, if discussing politics from ancient Greece and Rome interests you, definitely give this one a read. I am aware I could formulate a much more academically smart review, but it’s 8:30 in the morning, therefore I shan’t.
Overall, this made me want to read more philosophical books!! Amazing tbh.

[Luis Santos · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all let me inform that I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I think the book is a worthwhile reading both to students and the general public who is interested in the subject of antique Greek and Roman thought.
Most of the book deals with philosophical streams in Greece, and a smaller amount with Roman thought. I was expecting that the book would have a bit more of correlation of these antique schools of thought with the practice of politics in the 21st century societies.

[Rob M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really excellent, concise, digestible book that does exactly what it says on the tin. The author's voice comes out a lot in an engaging way, without making the book feel overly subjective.

This will come in handy for people interested in early modern and modern thinkers, e.g. from Machiavelli and Hobbes onwards, who are looking to understand some of the intellectual first principles upon which modern political thought draws.

[Hayley Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very interesting in the ways it presents the theories of politics and gives a great explanation for all people, the layout of the book is also useful and appealing, with the chapters clearly separated and each section can be referred to by itself - making it easy to use and read.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting way of creating links between current political states - I think most notably in the author's eyes, in the UK and USA - and our self described origins in Greek and Roman states around 2,000 years ago.

The most prominent examples of states the author wants us to consider are the Classical Athenian period - the 'seat of democracy' - and the Roman Republic. These are discussed via her themes of democracy and constitution, which are well argued as central to these respective locations.

There is also a discussion of more nebulous ideas such as justice, and via these a brief biopic of several famous classical philosophers, lawyers and rhetoricians. This list notably includes Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Polybius, Herodotus and Cicero. I particularly enjoyed the biopic aspects of this book as they gave the otherwise at times dry discussions a focus point and a colour that made them much more memorable and easy to understand. They were also the starting point for interesting comment about contextualising what has come down to us over such a long time period, and explaining the conditions these figures and others lived in. For instance, the discussion of democracy whilst Athens is see-sawing between oligarchy and democracy, and the varying tension in its relationship with Sparta and, later, Macedon.

[Mohd Ashraf · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent review of Greek and Roman political philosophers. To me as an Eastern reader, ancient Western Philosophers emphasized on Virtue and Reality of Life. They wanted to connect both of those to Politics, as Politics is a major mean to achieve Virtuous life in accordance to Reality of Life.

Each philosoper, has his own framework of what is virtuous (good life, suppression or enjoining desires, body or spirit freedom) and Reality of Life (roles and responsibilities to a city, the Cosmos or the people, self-rule or being ruled, empowering the few, the many or the one) .

I felt that in Religion, these philosophical queries are mostly answered and well defined - at least to my understanding.

What I felt while reading this book is that, these philosophers had no sure footing to place their contemplations on. They believed in abstract stuffs - Cosmos, Polities, Demos, Virtues, to try to place their foundations - yet all these are not fixed and permanent. Thus, the volatility of their concepts made their framework mostly ideal.

I'm interested to read more on each of the philosopher's work to develop my understanding further.

[Francisco · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole thing is pretty much in the title, an introduction to Greek and Roman political ideas or, more specifically 8 ideas which were extremely influential in politics and which started their lives in the classical world.

These include all the expected ones like democracy and republic, but also less expected ones like constitution or sovereignty. While this might seem an arcane subject it is anything but that, the ideas are extremely relevant to today's political situations, particularly when it comes to defining words and political systems.

What makes this really interesting is how politics was not an independent field in the classical world, it was tied up with history and philosophy and all kinds of other humanities, so the dialogues you get here are not between politicians, but between people who think about politics, be it Plato or Thucydides or Pericles. A really good introduction to ideas that have reverberated down the times and which created discussions thousands of years ago which are still surprisingly relevant.

[W.S. Luk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative and readable, this book introduces the major political thinkers of ancient Greece and Rome, summarising the key concerns they grappled with and how their ideas were put into practice, both in their time and ours. I particularly liked how Lane manages to structure this book both thematically and chronologically (for instance, using the section chronologically preceding the rise of Rome to explore how the strains of Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Cynicism or skepticism flourished in this period and would come to influence Roman political thought), giving a sense of progression to what could otherwise be a sweeping or simplistic overview of the topic.

[Muaz Jalil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy intro to Greek/political thought. If you are well versed in Greek/Roman philosophy then you won't find anything new. One interesting thing is that with high inequality and at the same availability of leisure, our world is closer to Greek/Rome. So unlike Rousseau, who argued we are too diff from ancient, in our case it's not so. Also the Greek democracy is very similar to ours , contrary to popular opinion. Also Socrates's implicit support for 30 tyrants explains why the court condemned him after democracy returned.Overall an interesting read.

[Artemis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned a lot but, due to the short nature of the book, I feel like some concepts weren't deeply/convincingly covered. At times the author would state an opinion and then move on and, while they are qualified to make most of the statements they made, I like having an exploration of why - it ended up feeling like we were being lectured at times on the appropriateness (in author's eyes) of the discourse that had occurred and I couldn't locate if this was genuinely the offer simply giving their opinion, or a statement that is directly backed by research done on that era.

[Samuel Mendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting on the political factors behind Socrates's death. Becomes less interesting in the Roman section of the book. Somewhat arbitrarily organised, and a repetition in the first chapter leads me to believe it may have been hurriedly written while Melissa Lane focused more on her true areas of research - something not uncommon amongst academics.

[Daniel Clemence · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book gives an overview of Greek and a bit of Roman political ideas. These include democracy, virtue, sovereignty, cosmopolitanism. I would say this is a good book to give an overview of Greek political ideas. There is less focus on Roman political values with only two chapters dedicated to the Romans. I think this is a good introduction book.

[Mad-In-Savage]

Cannot remember what it was like.

[Hennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. Feel like I've learned tons. I was only slightly disappointed with the final chapter, which didn't seem to tie everything up as I'd hoped.

[Kalyan Panja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume is a wide-ranging as well as all-inclusive handling of the political deliberation of ancient Greece and Rome with a few sections spotlight predominantly on the earliest background of the facts, at the same time as other chapters look at these facts as structures of ideas which reverberate in the midst of contemporary or continuing apprehensions with this plainly on paper volume will long stay as an easy to get to along with dependable guide to Greek and Roman philosophy in relation to administration as well as society that move towards the bits and pieces from both historical as well as truth-seeking vantage points.

[Nicholas Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always had fond memories of discovering these little blue pelican books with their endlessly diverse range of subjects and eclectic approach to the world. As such it was with delight that I found that the series was to be restarted with this book on Roman and Greek political ideas. This is a very well thought through piece which, whilst treating the reader as an adult, gives an overview on what could be a very dry topic. In places the discussion stalls a little but I found it fascinating and I learnt a great deal about the subject. Excellent and recommended.

[M. Chéwl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a laborious read. Following Lane’s prose felt like wading through a giant bowl of congealed verbiage soup. It is a great shame as she is evidently very knowledgeable of Ancient Greco-Roman political history. It is her style that is problematic: it is excessively ornate and serves to render every point elusive.

Anyway, I tried with this one, but I wouldn’t recommend it frankly; it was a cumbersome read and It felt as though the Greeks were given preponderance over the Romans (I could be wrong). Serves me right for having a predilection for those stark blue pelican front covers...

[Simona Mihalache · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just received the book, thank you Goodreads and Melissa Lane. I already read a few pages and I like it very much. It is a very documented book about the political history of the greeks and the romans.
After I finnish reading it I will come back with other opinions about this book.
I would also like to thank Pelican Books for the opportunity of reading thos book.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am interesting in politics and also in classical civilisations so I thought this might be the perfect book for me. However there was a large philosophical basis tp the book (which I know nothing about!) and I struggled with some of these concepts.

Overall, interesting, but parts of the book I found a little dry.

Thank you for the free copy I reveived in a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book gave a good overview of Greek and Roman political concepts and their thinkers, taking special care to explain the social and historical contexts in which the thinkers lived in- both a good a bad thing, depending on whether you find that much detail necessary. The author chose to divide the book up topically and compared various perspectives within each topic which was helpful.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.

This book was interesting, and I learned a lot. Although the text was chalk full of information, it did not read like a text book. This book would likely be very useful for supplemental reading for politics or history classes.