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The Greek Commonwealth: Politics And Economics In Fifth Century Athens
The Greek Politics And Economics In Fifth Century Athens is a book written by Alfred Eckhard Zimmern in 1911. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of the political and economic systems of Athens during the fifth century BC. The author explores the various political institutions, such as the assembly, the council, and the courts, and how they functioned in Athenian democracy. He also delves into the economic aspects of Athens, including trade, agriculture, and finance. The book provides a detailed account of the social and cultural context of Athens during this period, including the role of women, slavery, and religion. Zimmern also examines the impact of the Peloponnesian War on Athens and how it affected the city-state's political and economic structures. The Greek Commonwealth is considered a seminal work in the field of ancient Greek history and political science. It offers a unique perspective on Athenian democracy and its role in shaping the Western political tradition. The book is written in a clear and accessible style, making it an excellent resource for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the history of ancient Greece.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
458 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1911
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About the author
Alfred Eckhard Zimmern
48 books3 followersSir Alfred Eckhard Zimmern (1879–1957) was an English classical scholar, historian, and political scientist writing on international relations. His book The Third British Empire was among the first to apply the expression "British Commonwealth" to the British Empire. He is also credited with the phrase "welfare state", which was made popular a few years later by William Temple.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 17, 2025
Alfred Eckhard Zimmern’s The Greek Commonwealth: Politics and Economics in Fifth-Century Athens (first published in 1911) stands as one of the most enduring attempts to interpret classical Athens not merely as an archaeological or literary civilization, but as a living political and moral community. Written by a scholar deeply influenced by both classical humanism and the liberal idealism of the early twentieth century, the book presents a synthesis of historical narrative, political theory, and ethical reflection. Zimmern’s work remains significant both as a study of ancient Greek society and as a window into the intellectual climate of liberal internationalism before the First World War.
Zimmern’s central thesis is that the Athenian polis, especially in the Periclean age, constituted a “commonwealth” in the fullest sense—a balanced political organism where civic virtue, aesthetic cultivation, and collective responsibility intertwined. Drawing upon Thucydides, Aristotle, and a wide range of archaeological and literary evidence, Zimmern seeks to demonstrate that Athens represented a distinctive synthesis of individual freedom and communal duty. He contrasts this synthesis with the atomizing tendencies of modern industrial societies, thereby transforming his classical analysis into a critique of his own age.
The book is divided into five major parts—“The Land and the People,” “The City-State,” “The Age of Pericles,” “Religion,” and “The Failure of the City-State.” This structure reveals Zimmern’s ambition to treat Athens not simply as a political entity but as a total civilization. His treatment of the Attic landscape in the opening chapters exemplifies his holistic method: geography, economy, and culture are interwoven into a moral ecology. The polis emerges as a natural extension of its environment and history, rather than an artificial creation of political theory.
In his discussion of Athenian democracy, Zimmern displays both admiration and critical restraint. He celebrates the participatory character of Athenian life, the ideal of isonomia (equality before the law), and the civic education that produced citizens capable of intelligent deliberation. Yet he also acknowledges the limitations of this democracy—its exclusion of women, slaves, and foreigners, and its susceptibility to demagoguery. These reflections anticipate later debates in political theory about the tension between civic engagement and social exclusion, and between democratic idealism and imperial ambition.
Zimmern’s treatment of Athenian imperialism in particular reflects his historical moment. Writing at the height of the British Empire, he interprets the Athenian empire as a moral and cultural project rather than a purely exploitative enterprise. For Zimmern, the Delian League represented a step toward a form of international cooperation grounded in shared ideals—a view that foreshadows his later involvement in the League of Nations and internationalist thought. Modern readers may find this interpretation overly idealized, yet it captures the moral optimism of early twentieth-century liberalism, which sought to reconcile power with ethical responsibility.
Stylistically, The Greek Commonwealth occupies a unique position between classical scholarship and moral essay. Zimmern writes with a literary grace and rhetorical warmth that recalls Matthew Arnold as much as it does Thucydides. His prose, though at times ornate, serves his pedagogical purpose: to make antiquity a mirror for modern moral reflection. The book’s influence extended beyond academia, shaping liberal educational thought in Britain and America for decades.
Critically, however, the work reveals the limitations of its intellectual milieu. Zimmern’s portrayal of Greek society often projects modern liberal ideals onto the ancient world, producing a somewhat romanticized vision of civic harmony. His moral reading of imperialism and his idealization of civic virtue have been challenged by later historians who emphasize the material, coercive, and exclusionary aspects of the Athenian system. Nevertheless, these limitations are inseparable from the book’s enduring appeal—it is both a historical study and a moral meditation.
In retrospect, The Greek Commonwealth may be read as part of a broader effort to articulate a moral foundation for modern civilization through the example of classical antiquity. Zimmern’s Athens is not simply an ancient city-state; it is an ideal type, embodying the synthesis of intellect, beauty, and citizenship that he believed modernity had lost. As such, the book belongs as much to the tradition of humanistic political philosophy as to the discipline of classical history.
Alfred Zimmern’s The Greek Commonwealth remains a landmark in classical and political studies. Its fusion of historical scholarship and moral vision reflects a bygone confidence in the educative power of the classical tradition. While modern historiography has revised many of Zimmern’s assumptions, his attempt to understand Greek civilization as a living moral order continues to inspire scholars and educators. The work endures not only as a study of ancient Athens but as a testament to the humanist belief that the past can illuminate the moral and civic challenges of the present.
GPT
Zimmern’s central thesis is that the Athenian polis, especially in the Periclean age, constituted a “commonwealth” in the fullest sense—a balanced political organism where civic virtue, aesthetic cultivation, and collective responsibility intertwined. Drawing upon Thucydides, Aristotle, and a wide range of archaeological and literary evidence, Zimmern seeks to demonstrate that Athens represented a distinctive synthesis of individual freedom and communal duty. He contrasts this synthesis with the atomizing tendencies of modern industrial societies, thereby transforming his classical analysis into a critique of his own age.
The book is divided into five major parts—“The Land and the People,” “The City-State,” “The Age of Pericles,” “Religion,” and “The Failure of the City-State.” This structure reveals Zimmern’s ambition to treat Athens not simply as a political entity but as a total civilization. His treatment of the Attic landscape in the opening chapters exemplifies his holistic method: geography, economy, and culture are interwoven into a moral ecology. The polis emerges as a natural extension of its environment and history, rather than an artificial creation of political theory.
In his discussion of Athenian democracy, Zimmern displays both admiration and critical restraint. He celebrates the participatory character of Athenian life, the ideal of isonomia (equality before the law), and the civic education that produced citizens capable of intelligent deliberation. Yet he also acknowledges the limitations of this democracy—its exclusion of women, slaves, and foreigners, and its susceptibility to demagoguery. These reflections anticipate later debates in political theory about the tension between civic engagement and social exclusion, and between democratic idealism and imperial ambition.
Zimmern’s treatment of Athenian imperialism in particular reflects his historical moment. Writing at the height of the British Empire, he interprets the Athenian empire as a moral and cultural project rather than a purely exploitative enterprise. For Zimmern, the Delian League represented a step toward a form of international cooperation grounded in shared ideals—a view that foreshadows his later involvement in the League of Nations and internationalist thought. Modern readers may find this interpretation overly idealized, yet it captures the moral optimism of early twentieth-century liberalism, which sought to reconcile power with ethical responsibility.
Stylistically, The Greek Commonwealth occupies a unique position between classical scholarship and moral essay. Zimmern writes with a literary grace and rhetorical warmth that recalls Matthew Arnold as much as it does Thucydides. His prose, though at times ornate, serves his pedagogical purpose: to make antiquity a mirror for modern moral reflection. The book’s influence extended beyond academia, shaping liberal educational thought in Britain and America for decades.
Critically, however, the work reveals the limitations of its intellectual milieu. Zimmern’s portrayal of Greek society often projects modern liberal ideals onto the ancient world, producing a somewhat romanticized vision of civic harmony. His moral reading of imperialism and his idealization of civic virtue have been challenged by later historians who emphasize the material, coercive, and exclusionary aspects of the Athenian system. Nevertheless, these limitations are inseparable from the book’s enduring appeal—it is both a historical study and a moral meditation.
In retrospect, The Greek Commonwealth may be read as part of a broader effort to articulate a moral foundation for modern civilization through the example of classical antiquity. Zimmern’s Athens is not simply an ancient city-state; it is an ideal type, embodying the synthesis of intellect, beauty, and citizenship that he believed modernity had lost. As such, the book belongs as much to the tradition of humanistic political philosophy as to the discipline of classical history.
Alfred Zimmern’s The Greek Commonwealth remains a landmark in classical and political studies. Its fusion of historical scholarship and moral vision reflects a bygone confidence in the educative power of the classical tradition. While modern historiography has revised many of Zimmern’s assumptions, his attempt to understand Greek civilization as a living moral order continues to inspire scholars and educators. The work endures not only as a study of ancient Athens but as a testament to the humanist belief that the past can illuminate the moral and civic challenges of the present.
GPT
June 2, 2021
Appeal is often made to the city-states of ancient Greece, but I have had only a vague understanding of Greek democracy. For those interested in a more complete picture, The Greek Commonwealth is a good place to start. Zimmern explains why it is that the “greatest legacy which the Greeks have left to the afterworld is their City State patriotism.” He does a thorough job of explaining the political and economic climate in which the Greeks lived (focusing mainly on Athens), and he gives you a sense of the day-to-day life of Greek citizens.
After describing the geography of Ancient Greece (its soil, climate, and topography), he moves on to cover all the political and social aspects of the Greeks, discussing: public opinion, family, the role of the magistrate, religion, laws, view of self-government, rise of the empire, and their understanding of happiness. This was by far the best section of the book. He next takes up the economics of Greece, covering: poverty, use and wont, agriculture, hunting and piracy, warfare, reasons for colonization, the work of craftsmen, retailers, view of public versus private property, money, and trade.
The Greeks were exceptional in many ways, but they were also deficient in important areas. By getting a closer view, you are better positioned to appreciate the good and the bad.
After describing the geography of Ancient Greece (its soil, climate, and topography), he moves on to cover all the political and social aspects of the Greeks, discussing: public opinion, family, the role of the magistrate, religion, laws, view of self-government, rise of the empire, and their understanding of happiness. This was by far the best section of the book. He next takes up the economics of Greece, covering: poverty, use and wont, agriculture, hunting and piracy, warfare, reasons for colonization, the work of craftsmen, retailers, view of public versus private property, money, and trade.
The Greeks were exceptional in many ways, but they were also deficient in important areas. By getting a closer view, you are better positioned to appreciate the good and the bad.
August 12, 2025
- good overview of Athenian society
- really should be call The Athenian Commonwealth and not The Greek Commonwealth; barely talks about any other city-state models (no doubt due to the paucity of sources but still)
- lowkey has old-timey racism lmao
- p. 394 has 2 lines of text and 53 lines of footnote lmao
- really should be call The Athenian Commonwealth and not The Greek Commonwealth; barely talks about any other city-state models (no doubt due to the paucity of sources but still)
- lowkey has old-timey racism lmao
- p. 394 has 2 lines of text and 53 lines of footnote lmao
August 30, 2017
An interesting approach to looking at Ancient Greece; it's political and economic (and a little bit of social) development as well as it's geographic limitations and advantages.
December 22, 2021
This analysis should be taken with a grain of salt as the author's modern ideological lens often clouds his analysis. Otherwise a decent review of Greek socioeconomic and political institutions.
October 23, 2018
This book was ok but toward the end it started quoting financial figures and I felt like I was reading the financial statements of ancient Greece. BORING!
January 3, 2011
Great book. Interesting approach. For example the author spends time on geography and economics rather than just politics and war.
July 13, 2014
Another wonderful read on ancient Athens.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews