Buckley - Aspects of Greek history 750-323 BC: a source-based approach

ASPECTS OF GREEK HISTORY 750323BC

A Source-Based Approach

Second Edition

Terry Buckley

ASPECTS OF ROMAN HISTORY 81BCAD14

A Source-Based Approach

Mark Everson Davies and Hilary Swain

ASPECTS OF ROMAN HISTORY AD 14117

Richard Alston

CLASSICAL LITERATURE: AN INTRODUCTION

Edited by Neil Croally and Roy Hyde

LONDON AND NEW YORK

As a teacher of J.A.C.T. Ancient History, Section A topics (i.e. military and political) for the past twenty years, I have been acutely aware of the need for a textbook which, first, not only covers a historical period or theme in sufficient depth, but also is structured in such a way so as to help students to take notes, write essays and revise for the most commonly set A level topics; second, includes a large amount of source evidence either in direct quotations or specific source references; finally, encourages students to become aware of the limitations of the literary evidence both in particular historical instances and generally in the main literary authors and thereby develop their critical faculties for historical analysis. At present there are three kinds of reading material for A level students: the standard Ancient History textbooks which cover social, economic and cultural themes, and therefore do not treat political and military topics in sufficient depth nor supply sufficient primary source material for critical study as required by modern A level Ancient History syllabuses; the specialist articles and books which assume a high degree of in-depth knowledge and, very often, a fluency in Greek and Latin; and source books which, although quoting in English many of the more inaccessible primary sources, provide insufficient explanation for the average A level student to have a full and coherent understanding of their relevance to a particular topic. Therefore it has been the main aim of this textbook to fill this perceived gap in order to meet the examination needs of current A level Ancient History students.

I am also very aware of the continually increasing curricular and pastoral demands that are being made upon teachers and that, more than ever, the time for preparation of lessons is being drastically squeezed. Therefore, in addition to a general bibliography at the end of the book, I have stated at the end of each chapter the specific articles and the relevant chapters of the books that I found the most useful and informative hopefully, this will save valuable time for hard-pressed teachers. Furthermore, this will be an aid to the more able A level students who wish to research a given topic more widely. Finally, it is also hoped that this book will be of use to A level Greek students, when reading a Greek historian as a set-book, and to the increasing number of A level Classical Civilization students who need to place writers such as Aristophanes in their historical context.

Finally, my sincerest thanks are owed to a number of people and institutions: first and foremost, to Dr Paul Cartledge of Clare College, Cambridge, whose constructive criticism, constant encouragement and friendly support throughout the last two and a half years have earned my eternal gratitude; to Andrew Wallace-Haddrill, who recommended me to Routledge when this book was first proposed; to Richard Stoneman and his staff at Routledge for their unfailing kindness and courtesy; to J.A.C.T. for their kind permission to use quotations from Lactor 1