The Limits of Altruism in Democratic Athens

228 Pages·2012·6.08 MB·English

by  Dr Matthew Christ

The Limits of Altruism in
Democratic Athens
Athenians in the classical period (508–322 b.c.) were drawn to an
image of themselves as a compassionate and generous people who
rushed to the aid of others in distress, both at home and abroad.
WhatrelationdoesthisimagebeartoactualAthenianbehavior?This
book argues that Athenians felt little pressure as individuals to help
fellow citizens whom they did not know. Democratic ideology called
oncitizenstorefrainfromharmingoneanotherratherthantoengage
in mutual support and emphasized the importance of the helping
relationship between citizen and city rather than among individual
citizens. If the obligation of Athenians to help fellow citizens was
fairlytenuous,allthemoresowastheirresponsibilitytointerveneto
assist the peoples of other states; a distinct pragmatism prevailed in
thecity’sdecisionsconcerninginterventionabroad.
MatthewR.ChristisProfessorofClassicalStudiesatIndianaUniver-
sity. He is author of The Bad Citizen in Classical Athens (2006) and
TheLitigiousAthenian(1998).

The Limits of
Altruism in
Democratic Athens
Matthew R. Christ
Indiana University
cambridgeuniversitypress
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p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
isbn978-1-107-02977-4(hardback)
1.Altruism–Politicalaspects–Greece–Athens–History–To1500. 2.Athens(Greece)–
Politicsandgovernment. I.Title.
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Contents
Acknowledgments pageix
Introduction:ThePhilanthropicAthenian? 1
I
HelpingBehaviorinClassicalAthens 10
HelpingFellowSoldiers 13
AidingthePoor 17
NursingtheSick 26
BystanderIntervention 28
Lysias,AgainstTeisis,fr.279Carey(beforeca.380b.c.) 29
Demosthenes47:AgainstEuergusandMnesibulus(after
356b.c.) 30
Aeschines1:AgainstTimarchus(345b.c.) 31
Demosthenes54:AgainstConon(355or341b.c.?) 32
[Demosthenes]53:AgainstNicostratus(after368b.c.) 35
Lysias3:AgainstSimon(after394b.c.) 36
HelpinginLitigation 41
VolunteerProsecution 41
Sune¯goroi 44
II
HelpingandDemocraticCitizenship 48
DemocraticCitizenshipandtheIdealofHomonoia 50
HelpingasaCivicVirtue 67
CitizensHelptheCity 68
MilitaryService 70
FinancialService 72
PoliticalService:Rhe¯tores 77
PublicProsecution 83
TheCityHelpsCitizens 90
vii
– Contents –
III
HelpingandCommunityintheAthenianLawCourts 94
CourtsasVenuesforHelping 95
CaseStudiesinCommunalHelping 103
ACommunityofKindredAvengers 103
ACommunityofReciprocalHelpers 106
Community,Solidarity,andSecurity 109
TheFragilityofHelping 114
IV
“HelpingOthers”inAthenianInterstateRelations 118
AthenianInterstateRelations 120
“HelpingtheWronged”inAthenianCivicIdeology 126
AthenianHelpingintheGreekHistorians 137
HelpingtheIonians 139
HelpingthePlataeans 144
HelpingFormerEnemies 156
DemosthenesandtheRhetoricofAthenianHelping 163
DeliberativeSpeeches 163
OntheCrown:RewritingthePast 171
Conclusion:HelpingandtheAthenianExperience 177
Bibliography 183
IndexofAncientCitations 197
GeneralIndex 209
viii