This course examines models of international community in ancient Greece. Beginning with the spread of colonial settlement in the eighth century BCE, we study major themes in the development of political culture in the Greek world.
Topics include the pragmatics and structure of interstate relations, the emergence of federal states and other regional associations, the relationship between ethnic and political forms of community, and the evolution of ethical and legal criteria for foreign politics.
These subjects we examine from the perspective of the late Classical and Hellenistic periods in particular, during which the rise of strong imperialist powers, such as Macedonia and Rome, caused upheaval across the Mediterranean world, and produced lasting tensions between local power structures and the vision of a broader, trans-Mediterranean community. We also examine the legacy of these issues for subsequent stages of European history, considering the relationship between Greek political discourse and later attempts to understand international community in Europe and the West.
Instructor: Lucas Herchenroeder
Email: herchenr@usc.edu
