Ritual, finance, politics : Athenian democratic accounts presented to David Lewis

2500 years ago, democracy was born in classical Athens. This collection of essays by twenty-two leading scholars from the UK, Europe, and America, is a twin celebration--it marks this occasion and also the sixty-fifth birthday of David Lewis, Professor of Ancient History at the University of Oxford. The essays discuss the religious, financial, and political aspects of Athenian democracy, and all offer new interpretations of the subject, paying particular attention to epigraphy, Lewis's speciality. This Book Is A Celebration Of Two Thousand Five Hundred Years Of Democracy. At The Same Time It Is A Collection Of Essays To Honour The Sixty-fifth Birthday Of David Lewis, Professor Of Ancient History At The University Of Oxford. The Book Brings Together Contributions From Twenty-two Leading Scholars From Britain. Continental Europe, Israel, And North America; Its Central Themes Are Ritual (both In The Religious And Extended Anthropological Sense); Finance, Including The Accountability Principle Which Was Basic To Athenian Democracy; And Politics. All Represent Significant New Contributions In The Field. The Contributors Pay Especial Attention To Epigraphy (the Editing And Interpretation Of Inscriptions On Stone), David Lewis's Speciality. They Have Made Full Use Of The Newest Epigraphic Evidence, And Discuss Topics Such As The Purposes (including Symbolic And Monumental Motives) For Which Democratic Inscriptions Were Set Up. The Introduction Locates Individual Contributions Within The Study Of Classical Athens And Relates Them To Lewis's Own Published Work. Introduction: Ritual, Finance, Politics: An Account Of Athenian Democracy / Robin Osborne -- 1. The 2500th Anniversary Of Cleisthenes' Reforms And The Tradition Of Athenian Democracy / Mogens Herman Hansen -- 2. Psephological Heroes / Nigel Spivey -- 3. Learning From History: Categories And Case-histories / R.b. Rutherford -- 4. Comic Ridicule And Democracy / Christopher Carey -- 5. The Ostracism Of Hyperbolus / P.j. Rhodes -- 6. How Violent Was Athenian Society? / Gabriel Herman -- 7. Law And The Lawgiver In The Athenian Democracy / Rosalind Thomas -- 8. Aeschines And Athenian Democracy / Robin Lane Fox -- 9. Writing, Reading, And Democracy / Charles W. Hedrick, Jr. -- 10. Two New Attic Inscriptions / Angelos Matthaiou -- 11. Europe And Democracy / Eberhard Ruschenbusch -- 12. Accounts And Accountability In Classical Athens / John Davies -- 13. Freedom Of Information And Accountability: The Inventory Lists Of The Parthenon / Diane Harris. Edited By Robin Osborne And Simon Hornblower. This Book Collects Most Of The Papers Delivered At An International Conference On 'the History And Archaeology Of Athenian Democracy' Held At Christ Church, Oxford On 27-31 July 1993--preface. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contains a collection of essays by twenty-two leading scholars from the UK, Europe, and America celebrating - the birth of democracy and the 65th birthday of internationally renowned Professor of Ancient History at Oxford, David Lewis. The essays discuss the religious, financial, and political aspects of Athenian democracy.