City-states in classical antiquity and medieval Italy: Athens and Rome, Florence and Venice

The city-state is by nature a kind of microcosm, perhaps the most useful type of subject for historical analysis. The study of the city-state, ancient & medieval, is still in the stage of establishing definitions & general principles, & it lends itself very well to comparative methods. Accordingly it was a stroke of inspiration that led Brown University’s Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International Studies to plan a conference on the subject of the city-state, held in May of 1989, with the annual meeting of the Association of Ancient Historians. A stellar international panel of archeologists, ancient & medieval historians, art historians, political scientists, sociologists, & others, was invited to deliver papers on set themes relating to their disciplines, centering on 4 specific city-states: Athens & Rome in antiquity, & Florence & Venice in the late medieval period. The product of the conference is this splendid volume. The organizers could not have asked for a finer reward for their efforts.Introductory remarks by Wilfried Nippel, largely dealing with the pioneering work of the sociologist Max Weber in the early part of this century, & concluding reflections by Guido Clemente provide a frame for 24 papers, organized under 6 rubrics:CONSCIOUSNESS & REPRESENTATION (papers: N. Loraux, Timothy J. Cornell, C. Frugoni, Alison Brown; commentar: Carmine Ampolo, Giovanni Ciappelli); CITIZENS & POLITICAL CLASSES (David Whitehead, Diego Quaglioni, W. Eder, D. Herlihy, R. Fubini; C. Klapisch-Zuber); POLITICS & CONFLICT (Erich S. Gruen, J. M. Najemy, T. J. Figueira, G. Cracco; H. W. Pleket, Ronald F. Weissman); URBAN & ARCHITECTURAL FORMS (Tonio Hölscher, L. Richardson Jr., Franek Sznura, Juergen Schulz; Edmond Frözouls, J. Ackerman); SYMBOLS AND RITUALS (A. Giovannini, K. Hopkins, F. Cardini, P. Fortini Brown, G. W. Bowersock, M. Berengo) TERRITORY, EXTERNAL RELATIONS & EMPIRE (K. Raaflaub, G. Chittolini, J. S. Gr Athens And Rome, Florence And Venice--the Best Known City-states In European History--have Given Western Culture A Wealthy Inheritance. Many Of Our Basic Notions About The Nature And Organization Of Towns Come From Realities Born In Antiquity And Brought To Fruition In The Middle Ages. While Ancient City-states And Medieval Communes Have Had Great Importance For Modern Culture, Much About The History Of These Institutions Is Still Paradoxical And Difficult To Understand. The Contributors To City-states In Classical Antiquity And Medieval Italy Offer Valuable Insights Into These Problems. This Volume Presents A Parallel Reading Of The History And Analysis Of The Development, Structures, And Conflicts Of Both Sets Of Cities, Using Insights Gained From One To Illuminate The Other. This Comprehensive Yet Suggestive Book Offers Innovative Answers To Familiar Questions, As In The Articles Of David Whitehead And Erich Gruen On The Nature And Power Of The Citizen Body. City-states Also Breaks New Ground In Its Persuasive Documentation Of The Ways In Which Seemingly Disparate Disciplines May Profitably Share Methods And Data. Introductory Remarks: Max Weber's The City Revisited / Wilfried Nippel -- Pt. I. Consciousness And Representation. Reflections Of The Greek City On Unity And Division / Nicole Loraux. Rome: The History Of An Anachronism / Timothy J. Cornell. The City And The New Saints / Chiara Frugoni. City And Citizen: Changing Perceptions In The Fifteenth And Sixteenth Centuries / Alison Brown. Commentary / Carmine Ampolo And Giovanni Ciappelli -- Pt. Ii. Citizens And The Political Classes. Norms Of Citizenship In Ancient Greece / David Whitehead. The Legal Definition Of Citizenship In The Late Middle Ages / Diego Quaglioni. Who Rules? Power And Participation In Athens And Rome / Walter Eder. The Rulers Of Florence, 1282-1530 / David Herlihy. From Social To Political Representation In Renaissance Florence / Riccardo Fubini. Commentary / Christiane Klapisch-zuber -- Pt. Iii. Politics And Conflict. The Exercise Of Power In The Roman Republic / Erich S. Gruen. The Dialogue Of Power In Florentine Politics / John M. Najemy. A Typology Of Social Conflict In Greek Poleis / Thomas J. Figueira. Social Structure And Conflict In The Medieval City / Giorgio Cracco. Commentary / Harry W. Pleket And Ronald F. Weissman -- Pt. Iv. Urban And Architectural Forms. The City Of Athens: Space, Symbol, Structure / Tonio Holscher. Urban Development In Ancient Rome And The Impact Of Empire / L. Richardson Jr. Civic Urbanism In Medieval Florence / Franek Sznura. Urbanism In Medieval Venice / Juergen Schulz. Commentary / Edmond Frezouls And James Ackerman -- Pt. V. Symbols And Rituals. Symbols And Rituals In Classical Athens / Adalberto Giovannini. From Violence To Blessing: Symbols And Rituals In Ancient Rome / Keith Hopkins. Symbols And Rituals In Florence / Franco Cardini. The Self-definition Of The Venetian Republic / Patricia Fortini Brown. Commentary / Glen W. Bowersock And Marino Berengo -- Pt. Vi. Territory, External Relations And Empire. City-state, Territory And Empire In Classical Antiquity / Kurt Raaflaub. The Italian City-state And Its Territory / Giorgio Chittolini. Diplomacy In The Italian City-state / James S. Grubb. Commentary / Hartmut Galsterer And Anthony Molho -- Concluding Reflections / Guido Clemente. Edited By Anthony Molho, Kurt Raaflaub, Julia Emlen. Papers From A Conference Held In Conjunction With The Annual Meeting Of The Association Of Ancient Historians, May 1989, Providence, R.i., Sponsored By The Thomas J. Watson, Jr. Institute For International Studies. Essays By Chiara Frugoni, Alison Brown, David Herlihy, Riccardo Fubini, Christiane Klapisch-zuber, John M. Najemy, Franek Sznura, Franco Cardini, Giorgio Chittolini Et Al. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Title......Page 1 Contents......Page 3 Acknowledgements......Page 7 Editors' Preface......Page 9 Introductory Remarks: Max Weber's "The City" Revisited (Wilfried Nippel)......Page 19 PART I: Consciousness and Representation......Page 31 Reflections of the Greek City on Unity and Division (Nicole Loraux)......Page 33 Rome: The History of an Anachronism (Timothy J. Cornell)......Page 53 The City and the "New" Saints (Chiara Frugoni)......Page 71 City and Citizen: Changing Perceptions in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries (Alison Brown)......Page 93 Commentary (Carmine Ampolo)......Page 113 Commentary (Giovanni Ciappelli)......Page 121 PART II: Citizens and the Political Classes......Page 132 Norms of Citizenship in Ancient Greece (David Whitehead)......Page 133 The Legal Definition of Citizenship in the Late Middle Ages (Diego Quaglioni)......Page 153 Who Rules? Power and Participation in Athens and Rome (Walter Eder)......Page 167 The Rulers of Florence, 1282-1530 (David Herlihy)......Page 195 From Social to Political Representation in Renaissance Florence (Riccardo Fubini)......Page 221 Commentary (Christiane Klapisch-Zuber)......Page 239 PART III: Politics and Conflict......Page 246 The Exercise of Power in the Roman Republic (Erich S. Gruen)......Page 247 The Dialogue of Power in Florentine Politics (John M. Najemy)......Page 265 A Typology of Social Conflict in Greek Poleis (Thomas J. Figueira)......Page 285 Social Structure and Conflict in the Medieval City (Giorgio Cracco)......Page 305 Commentary (Harry W. Pleket)......Page 327 Commentary (Ronald F. Weissman)......Page 341 PART IV: Urban and Architectural Forms......Page 348 The City of Athens: Space, Symbol, Structure (Tonio Hölscher)......Page 349 Urban Development in Ancient Rome and the Impact of Empire (L. Richardson Jr.)......Page 375 Civic Urbanism in Medieval Florence (Franek Sznura)......Page 397 Urbanism in Medieval Venice (Juergen Schulz)......Page 413 Commentary (Edmond Frezouls)......Page 441 Commentary (James Ackerman)......Page 447 PART V: Symbols and Rituals ......Page 451 Symbols and Rituals in Classical Athens (Adalberto Giovannini)......Page 453 From Violence to Blessing: Symbols and Rituals in Ancient Rome (Keith Hopkins)......Page 473 Symbols and Rituals in Florence (Franco Cardini)......Page 493 The Self-Definition of the Venetian Republic (Patricia Fortini Brown)......Page 505 Commentary (Glen W. Bowersock)......Page 543 Commentary (Marino Berengo)......Page 549 PART VI: Territory, External Relations and Empire......Page 556 City-State, Territory, and Empire in Classical Antiquity (Kurt A. Raaflaub)......Page 557 The Italian City-State and Its Territory (Giorgio Chittolini)......Page 581 Diplomacy in the Italian City-State (James S. Grubb)......Page 595 Commentary (Hartmut Galsterer)......Page 611 Commentary (Anthony Molho)......Page 619 Concluding Reflections (Guido Clemente)......Page 633 Index......Page 641