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From Solon to Socrates: Greek History and Civilization During the 6th and 5th Centuries B.C.
From Solon to Socrates is a magisterial narrative introduction to what is generally regarded as the most important period of Greek history. Stressing the unity of Greek history and the centrality of Athens, Victor Ehrenberg covers a rich and diverse range of political, economic, military and cultural issues in the Greek world, from the early history of the Greeks, including early Sparta and the wars with Persia, to the ascendancy of Athens and the Peloponnesian War.
401 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 27, 2018
High school textbook.
August 4, 2021
Recommended for those interested in introducing themselves to Ancient Greece history.
The book provides a good overview of key events (e.g. Persian Wars, Peloponnese War) as well as a general introduction to the political structure of Sparta, Athens, life in Ionian Greece, etc. More experienced readers in the subject may also find it useful to deepen their understanding.
Key military conflicts (e.g. Battle of Marathon) are described in more detail but the text is far from being a military chronicle.
The book uses accessible language though at times Ehrenberg would throw in concepts in Greek (e.g. "Eupatridae") that I had to look up. Whilst the book comes with dozens of notes, the general reader will not find all of them relevant, as most are very academic (e.g. discussion on the translation of a specific word) whilst others were mere references to authors and books for further reading. The maps included help follow the story though at times I found myself endlessly flipping back and forth.
Throughout the book the author introduces sections dedicated to the likes of Euripides, Aristophanes, Pindar, among others. I personally found these sections interesting and a good complement to the historical narration, but admittedly these paragraphs may rapidly become a deep dissertation on ancient tragedy (which rankly could be a piece of interest on their own).
Overall I would approach this book as a first stop to get exposure to several authors, sources and historical events. A third into the book I stopped trying to remember all the political and military leaders mentioned (which is not a flaw of the book, rather an illustration of the complexity of the period covered). On that note, do not expect crystal clear profiles of characters like Solon, Alcibiades or Socrates (for one because the sources are very limited) but you will still get a good foundation on their main contributions, policies and deeds.
Lastly, unknowingly or not, Ehrenberg makes his voice felt on the validity of the sources. Without hiding his personal sympathy (e.g. he dedicates several pages to talk about Herodotus and Thucidydes) he will not hesitate to point out the biases and limitations where he deems it pertinent.
The book provides a good overview of key events (e.g. Persian Wars, Peloponnese War) as well as a general introduction to the political structure of Sparta, Athens, life in Ionian Greece, etc. More experienced readers in the subject may also find it useful to deepen their understanding.
Key military conflicts (e.g. Battle of Marathon) are described in more detail but the text is far from being a military chronicle.
The book uses accessible language though at times Ehrenberg would throw in concepts in Greek (e.g. "Eupatridae") that I had to look up. Whilst the book comes with dozens of notes, the general reader will not find all of them relevant, as most are very academic (e.g. discussion on the translation of a specific word) whilst others were mere references to authors and books for further reading. The maps included help follow the story though at times I found myself endlessly flipping back and forth.
Throughout the book the author introduces sections dedicated to the likes of Euripides, Aristophanes, Pindar, among others. I personally found these sections interesting and a good complement to the historical narration, but admittedly these paragraphs may rapidly become a deep dissertation on ancient tragedy (which rankly could be a piece of interest on their own).
Overall I would approach this book as a first stop to get exposure to several authors, sources and historical events. A third into the book I stopped trying to remember all the political and military leaders mentioned (which is not a flaw of the book, rather an illustration of the complexity of the period covered). On that note, do not expect crystal clear profiles of characters like Solon, Alcibiades or Socrates (for one because the sources are very limited) but you will still get a good foundation on their main contributions, policies and deeds.
Lastly, unknowingly or not, Ehrenberg makes his voice felt on the validity of the sources. Without hiding his personal sympathy (e.g. he dedicates several pages to talk about Herodotus and Thucidydes) he will not hesitate to point out the biases and limitations where he deems it pertinent.
August 21, 2020
Ancient Greek civilization is the bedrock of culture in the Western World: our philosophy, poetry, theatre, art, democracy, medicine and science all spring from the first efforts made in those fields by the Ancient Greeks. The beginning of those beginnings occurred during the period Victor Ehrenberg focuses on in this book.
The centrepiece of this period of Greek history was what has become known as the Pelopponnesian War, which was in reality a series of wars between Athens and Sparta that raged on and off for thirty years. Ehrenberg begins his narrative with an introduction to both Sparta and Athens, setting the scene for their political development over the centuries in question. With its martial structure and perpetual risk of revolt by the helots, Sparta maintained a rigorous oligarchical structure. This contrasted to Athens, where the need for many men to serve in her navy moved the polis to democracy. The beginning of this period saw the combined might of Hellas - including Athens and Sparta - defeat the Persian invasion. This was the last time until the rule of Alexander that most Greeks joined together against a common enemy. Even though they shared a language, gods, and festivals, each Greek polis felt no need to be a part of a larger Greek state, and over the course of the period covered by Ehrenberg, there were myriad shifting alliances between and invasions of cities and states.
The two major strategic rivals were Athens and what was to become its empire, and Sparta at the head of the Peloponnesian League. The wars between these states that led to the destruction of Athens and the impoverishment of Sparta were particularly brutal. Politically Athens veered from extreme democracy - rule of the mob - to types of tyranny by one man or a group, before their final subjugation. Sparta similarly had great political upheavals, even if on the surface their political system did not change.
Ehrenberg steers a narrow course through the known facts, acknowledging the gaps and not engaging in too much speculation beyond what can be supported by what we know. We do know that the democratic states and cities could very easily fall under the sway of a demagogue, and we see the decline of the idea of the polis over this period through figures such as Pericles, Alcibiades, and Critias. Ehreneberg ties this in with developments of the mind; the development of the concept of the individual as distinct from the polis, epitomized in the life of Socrates. Democracy inherently assumes a social contract and certain rights, and the reader sees how Athens battled over the distribution of those rights between classes. Ehrenberg also shows us that the idea of democracy as a force for peace is not correct. It is Athens that is the aggressor, the imperialist power, the state unwilling to compromise. However, it is Athens that drives the Greeks forward, artistically and politically. While Sparta may have ended up victorious, they are only remembered now for the 300, and their cruel social structure. The ferment that was Athens created great misery and destruction, but also created the basis of Western Culture.
For a detailed look at how that occurred, From Solon to Socrates is worth picking up.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
The centrepiece of this period of Greek history was what has become known as the Pelopponnesian War, which was in reality a series of wars between Athens and Sparta that raged on and off for thirty years. Ehrenberg begins his narrative with an introduction to both Sparta and Athens, setting the scene for their political development over the centuries in question. With its martial structure and perpetual risk of revolt by the helots, Sparta maintained a rigorous oligarchical structure. This contrasted to Athens, where the need for many men to serve in her navy moved the polis to democracy. The beginning of this period saw the combined might of Hellas - including Athens and Sparta - defeat the Persian invasion. This was the last time until the rule of Alexander that most Greeks joined together against a common enemy. Even though they shared a language, gods, and festivals, each Greek polis felt no need to be a part of a larger Greek state, and over the course of the period covered by Ehrenberg, there were myriad shifting alliances between and invasions of cities and states.
The two major strategic rivals were Athens and what was to become its empire, and Sparta at the head of the Peloponnesian League. The wars between these states that led to the destruction of Athens and the impoverishment of Sparta were particularly brutal. Politically Athens veered from extreme democracy - rule of the mob - to types of tyranny by one man or a group, before their final subjugation. Sparta similarly had great political upheavals, even if on the surface their political system did not change.
Ehrenberg steers a narrow course through the known facts, acknowledging the gaps and not engaging in too much speculation beyond what can be supported by what we know. We do know that the democratic states and cities could very easily fall under the sway of a demagogue, and we see the decline of the idea of the polis over this period through figures such as Pericles, Alcibiades, and Critias. Ehreneberg ties this in with developments of the mind; the development of the concept of the individual as distinct from the polis, epitomized in the life of Socrates. Democracy inherently assumes a social contract and certain rights, and the reader sees how Athens battled over the distribution of those rights between classes. Ehrenberg also shows us that the idea of democracy as a force for peace is not correct. It is Athens that is the aggressor, the imperialist power, the state unwilling to compromise. However, it is Athens that drives the Greeks forward, artistically and politically. While Sparta may have ended up victorious, they are only remembered now for the 300, and their cruel social structure. The ferment that was Athens created great misery and destruction, but also created the basis of Western Culture.
For a detailed look at how that occurred, From Solon to Socrates is worth picking up.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
February 9, 2022
I gave this only three stars because I found it rather hard-going. But for any serious student of the period I think it seems very good. Anyone, like me, who thought from the title that it was going to be particularly dedicated to the history of ideas will find the last chapter the most interesting, on the flowering of intellectual activity in art, history and philosophy of the 5thC.
April 5, 2017
Important material for course work.
June 25, 2012
Love this book. It was my Greek companion in my Classics course at UNE.
May 4, 2014
An excellent overview of this historical period. Highly accessible, yet appropriately detailed.
February 20, 2022
Ehrenberg's study of classical Greece during the Sixth and Fifth Centuries BCE was one of the stalwarts of my early university education. A comprehensive single volume study of the main legal, political, military and literary developments during the era that was once called the height of ancient Greece, 'From Solon to Socrates' fulfills its task admirably. However it does have some limitations, some issues that must be noted.
First published in the late 1960s 'From Solon to Socrates' is built around the framework of a narrative history, and to some extent that approach is now somewhat passe. By using a chronological structure that follows significant events and deeds in ancient Greece, more often than not informed by literary sources, Ehrenberg's text may read as old fashioned or too conventional for more recent readers. He wrote on those things that historians have for centuries; who fought, who governed, who made laws, who amplified culture. This book is aware of social and economic history however those avenues are far less important than they might be today. The role of women, of the disadvantaged, the sexual and racial aspects of classical Greece are almost entirely ignored.
It is also to be noted that Ehrenberg's work is informed most highly by his personal expertise in jurisprudence and legal history. The early chapters, especially when he focuses on the political frameworks of Sparta and Athens are rather dense because he has described them in legalese. More recent editions of the book should have included diagrams representing what Ehrenberg writes of.
Another critism that could be made of Ehrenberg is that he doesn't really do enough work to explore his sources. At the beginning of the book he does talk about how problematic they are, and he makes some very useful observations on the works of the Pindar, the tragic dramatists and Thucydides. However I suspect more recenty classical historians would be far more explicit in their valuation of the sources, plus include more epigraphic, archaeological and other more fragmentary sources of evidence.
These points may indicate that I was not too happy nor impressed with 'From Solon to Socrates'. On the contrary; this is a very worthy book within the context of its time and aims. I would, if given the opportunity, direct my students to use Ehrenberg as a valid and key reference work. His discussion of the reforms of Cleisthenes, the summary of the Persian Wars of the early 5th Century BCE and the Peloponnesian War are masterful. Ehrenberg also posits an extremely informative and cogent summary of Socrates as thinker, as historical figure and as the apogee of Greek thought. It must also be noted that Ehrenberg was incredibly well credentialled as a scholar and he made use of copious notes to inform and validate his history.
Therefore whilst there are some caveats derived from his style and the age of the texct, Ehrenberg's 'From Solon to Socrates' is still a valuable asset for the student or teacher of ancient Greece. I am sure it will continue to be used by academics and their pupils for many years to come.
First published in the late 1960s 'From Solon to Socrates' is built around the framework of a narrative history, and to some extent that approach is now somewhat passe. By using a chronological structure that follows significant events and deeds in ancient Greece, more often than not informed by literary sources, Ehrenberg's text may read as old fashioned or too conventional for more recent readers. He wrote on those things that historians have for centuries; who fought, who governed, who made laws, who amplified culture. This book is aware of social and economic history however those avenues are far less important than they might be today. The role of women, of the disadvantaged, the sexual and racial aspects of classical Greece are almost entirely ignored.
It is also to be noted that Ehrenberg's work is informed most highly by his personal expertise in jurisprudence and legal history. The early chapters, especially when he focuses on the political frameworks of Sparta and Athens are rather dense because he has described them in legalese. More recent editions of the book should have included diagrams representing what Ehrenberg writes of.
Another critism that could be made of Ehrenberg is that he doesn't really do enough work to explore his sources. At the beginning of the book he does talk about how problematic they are, and he makes some very useful observations on the works of the Pindar, the tragic dramatists and Thucydides. However I suspect more recenty classical historians would be far more explicit in their valuation of the sources, plus include more epigraphic, archaeological and other more fragmentary sources of evidence.
These points may indicate that I was not too happy nor impressed with 'From Solon to Socrates'. On the contrary; this is a very worthy book within the context of its time and aims. I would, if given the opportunity, direct my students to use Ehrenberg as a valid and key reference work. His discussion of the reforms of Cleisthenes, the summary of the Persian Wars of the early 5th Century BCE and the Peloponnesian War are masterful. Ehrenberg also posits an extremely informative and cogent summary of Socrates as thinker, as historical figure and as the apogee of Greek thought. It must also be noted that Ehrenberg was incredibly well credentialled as a scholar and he made use of copious notes to inform and validate his history.
Therefore whilst there are some caveats derived from his style and the age of the texct, Ehrenberg's 'From Solon to Socrates' is still a valuable asset for the student or teacher of ancient Greece. I am sure it will continue to be used by academics and their pupils for many years to come.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews