Thought and Action in the Ancient Polis

Classical Athens saw perhaps the greatest flourishing of political, philosophic, and cultural thought ever to occur in such a small place over so short a time. In this class, we take seriously the possibility that its thinkers may in fact have something of the highest importance to say to us. Following these authors, we will consider the relationship between democracy and tyranny, and the tension between the needs of politics and the aims of the individual. We will investigate these authors' arguments about virtue, justice, and the ultimate ends of political life.