The bonds of humanity : Cicero's legacies in European social and political thought, ca. 1100-ca. 1550

Of the great philosophers of pagan antiquity, Marcus Tullius Cicero is the only one whose ideas were continuously accessible to the Christian West following the collapse of the Roman Empire. Yet, in marked contrast with other ancient philosophers, Cicero has largely been written out of the historical narrative on early European political thought, and the reception of his ideas has barely been studied. __The Bonds of Humanity__ corrects this glaring oversight, arguing that the influence of Cicero’s ideas in medieval and early modern Europe was far more pervasive than previously believed. In this book, Cary J. Nederman presents a persuasive counternarrative to the widely accepted belief in the dominance of Aristotelian thought. Surveying the work of a diverse range of thinkers from the twelfth to the sixteenth century, including John of Salisbury, Brunetto Latini, Marsiglio of Padua, Christine de Pizan, and Bartolomé de Las Casas, Nederman shows that these men and women inherited, deployed, and adapted key Ciceronian themes. He argues that the rise of scholastic Aristotelianism in the thirteenth century did not supplant but rather supplemented and bolstered Ciceronian ideas, and he identifies the character and limits of Ciceronianism that distinguish it from other schools of philosophy. Highly original and compelling, this paradigm-shifting book will be greeted enthusiastically by students and scholars of early European political thought and intellectual history, particularly those engaged in the conversation about the role played by ancient and early Christian ideas in shaping the theories of later times.

Of the great philosophers of pagan antiquity, Marcus TulliusCicero is the only one whose ideas were continuously accessible tothe Christian West following the collapse of the Roman Empire. Yet,in marked contrast with other ancient philosophers, Cicero haslargely been written out of the historical narrative on earlyEuropean political thought, and the reception of his ideas hasbarely been studied. The Bonds of Humanity corrects thisglaring oversight, arguing that the influence of Cicero's ideas inmedieval and early modern Europe was far more pervasive thanpreviously believed.

In this book, Cary J. Nederman presents a persuasivecounternarrative to the widely accepted belief in the dominance ofAristotelian thought. Surveying the work of a diverse range ofthinkers from the twelfth to the sixteenth century, including Johnof Salisbury, Brunetto Latini, Marsiglio of Padua, Christine dePizan, and Bartolomé de Las Casas, Nederman shows that these menand women inherited, deployed, and adapted key Ciceronian themes.He argues that the rise of scholastic Aristotelianism in thethirteenth century did not supplant but rather supplemented andbolstered Ciceronian ideas, and he identifies the character andlimits of Ciceronianism that distinguish it from other schools ofphilosophy.

Highly original and compelling, this paradigm-shifting book willbe greeted enthusiastically by students and scholars of earlyEuropean political thought and intellectual history, particularlythose engaged in the conversation about the role played by ancientand early Christian ideas in shaping the theories of latertimes.

Of the great philosophers of pagan antiquity, Marcus Tullius Cicero is the only one whose ideas were continuously accessible to the Christian West following the collapse of the Roman Empire. Yet, in marked contrast with other ancient philosophers, Cicero has largely been written out of the historical narrative on early European political thought, and the reception of his ideas has barely been studied. The Bonds of Humanity corrects this glaring oversight, arguing that the influence of Cicero's ideas in medieval and early modern Europe was far more pervasive than previously believed. In this book, Cary J. Nederman presents a persuasive counternarrative to the widely accepted belief in the dominance of Aristotelian thought. Surveying the work of a diverse range of thinkers from the twelfth to the sixteenth century, including John of Salisbury, Brunetto Latini, Marsiglio of Padua, Christine de Pizan, and Bartolome de Las Casas, Nederman shows that these men and women inherited, deployed, and adapted key Ciceronian themes. He argues that the rise of scholastic Aristotelianism in the thirteenth century did not supplant but rather supplemented and bolstered Ciceronian ideas, and he identifies the character and limits of Ciceronianism that distinguish it from other schools of philosophy. Highly original and compelling, this paradigm-shifting book will be greeted enthusiastically by students and scholars of early European political thought and intellectual history, particularly those engaged in the conversation about the role played by ancient and early Christian ideas in shaping the theories of later times "Surveys the many different impacts of Ciceronian theories on a diverse array of texts and authors between 1100 and 1550, presenting a counternarrative to the widely accepted belief in the dominance of Aristotelianism in early European political and social thought"-- Provided by publisher