The Origins of Radical Criminology : From Homer to Pre-Socratic Philosophy

This book critically explores the development of radical criminology through a range of written Ancient Greek works including epic and lyrical poetry, drama and philosophy, across different chapters. It traces the development of political power and the concepts of law, legitimacy, crime, justice and deviance in the Ancient Greek world and the political struggles that propelled that development, using the conflict perspective as a conceptual tool of the sociological analysis of reality. Theoretical discussions of crime and justice typically stem from the better known works of Plato or Aristotle although this book explores the works preceding these. This book will appeal to those interested in the (pre)history of criminology and the historical production of criminological knowledge.-- Provided by publisher Foreword......Page 5 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Contents......Page 9 1: Introduction......Page 12 References......Page 21 2.1.1 The Geometric Period (Ninth–Eighth Century BCE)......Page 22 2.1.2 Eighth Century BCE......Page 23 2.1.3 The Dawn of the Seventh Century BCE......Page 25 2.1.4 Zaleucus and Charondas......Page 27 2.2.1.1 General Characteristics......Page 28 2.2.1.2 The Development of the City-State in the Archaic Period......Page 29 2.2.1.3 The Invention of Coinage......Page 30 2.2.1.4 Economic Changes......Page 31 2.2.2 The “Hoplitic” Revolution......Page 33 2.2.3 Colonization......Page 36 2.2.4 Writing......Page 38 2.2.5 Law......Page 39 2.2.5.1 The Trial on Achilles’ Shield......Page 41 2.2.5.2 Public Opinion......Page 42 2.3 The Agricultural Issue......Page 44 2.4 The Revolutionary Process of “Tyranny”......Page 48 References......Page 50 3.1 Introduction......Page 51 3.2 Rhapsodes......Page 56 3.3 The Adaptation and Assembly of Homeric Texts in the Years of Peisistratus......Page 57 3.4 Elements in the Homeric epics......Page 59 3.5 The Iliad......Page 61 3.6 The Odyssey......Page 67 References......Page 75 4: Hesiod......Page 77 References......Page 84 5: Lyric Poetry......Page 85 5.1.1 Diagram of the Development of Lyric Poetry......Page 89 5.2 Archilochus (First Half of the Seventh Century BCE)......Page 91 5.2.1 Ideas: Issues in Archilochus’ Work......Page 92 5.2.2 The Highest Value of Life......Page 93 5.3 Simonides of Ceos (First Half of the Sixth Century BCE)......Page 99 5.4 Solon......Page 102 5.5 Tyrtaeus......Page 103 5.6 Theognes......Page 104 5.7 Pindar (522 or 518–438 BCE)......Page 105 5.8.1 Alcaeus......Page 107 5.8.2 Sappho......Page 114 References......Page 115 6: Greek Drama: Aeschylus......Page 117 6.1 Seven against Thebes......Page 119 6.2 The Persians......Page 123 6.3 Suppliant Women......Page 124 6.4 Prometheus Bound......Page 127 6.5.1 Agamemnon......Page 134 6.5.2 The Libation Bearers/Choephoroi......Page 138 6.5.3 The Eumenides......Page 141 References......Page 145 7.1 The Importance of Pre-Socratic Philosophy......Page 146 7.1.1 Pre-Socratic Philosophy as Dialectic of Myth......Page 147 7.1.2 The Problem with Sources......Page 148 7.2 A Radical Reading of Ancient Philosophy......Page 149 7.3.1 Ionic Thought......Page 151 7.3.1.1 Anaximander......Page 152 7.3.1.2 Xenophanes......Page 158 7.3.1.3 Heraclitus......Page 161 The Fire......Page 162 War......Page 164 Unity of the Opposites......Page 165 7.3.1.4 Anaxagoras......Page 167 7.3.2.1 Alcmaeon of Croton......Page 168 7.3.2.2 Empedocles of Acragas (Agrigentum)......Page 169 7.3.3.1 Archelaus from Athens......Page 170 7.3.3.2 Democritus......Page 171 7.3.4 The Sophists......Page 173 7.3.4.1 Protagoras......Page 174 7.3.4.3 Isocrates......Page 177 7.3.4.4 Antiphon......Page 178 7.3.4.5 Contrasting Arguments (Dissoi Logoi) of the Sophists, Thrasymachus and Power......Page 179 References......Page 182 8: Concluding Note......Page 183 Reference......Page 185 Index......Page 186 Foreword 5 Acknowledgements 8 Contents 9 1: Introduction 12 References 21 2: The Historical Context: From Renaissance to Radical Change 22 2.1 Towards the Archaic Period 22 2.1.1 The Geometric Period (Ninth–Eighth Century BCE) 22 2.1.2 Eighth Century BCE 23 2.1.3 The Dawn of the Seventh Century BCE 25 2.1.4 Zaleucus and Charondas 27 2.2 The Greek Archaic Society 28 2.2.1 Political and Economic Characteristics 28 2.2.1.1 General Characteristics 28 2.2.1.2 The Development of the City-State in the Archaic Period 29 2.2.1.3 The Invention of Coinage 30 2.2.1.4 Economic Changes 31 2.2.2 The “Hoplitic” Revolution 33 2.2.3 Colonization 36 2.2.4 Writing 38 2.2.5 Law 39 2.2.5.1 The Trial on Achilles’ Shield 41 2.2.5.2 Public Opinion 42 2.3 The Agricultural Issue 44 2.4 The Revolutionary Process of “Tyranny” 48 References 50 3: Homer 51 3.1 Introduction 51 3.2 Rhapsodes 56 3.3 The Adaptation and Assembly of Homeric Texts in the Years of Peisistratus 57 3.4 Elements in the Homeric epics 59 3.5 The Iliad 61 3.6 The Odyssey 67 References 75 4: Hesiod 77 References 84 5: Lyric Poetry 85 5.1 Elements of Lyric Poetry 89 5.1.1 Diagram of the Development of Lyric Poetry 89 5.2 Archilochus (First Half of the Seventh Century BCE) 91 5.2.1 Ideas: Issues in Archilochus’ Work 92 5.2.2 The Highest Value of Life 93 5.3 Simonides of Ceos (First Half of the Sixth Century BCE) 99 5.4 Solon 102 5.5 Tyrtaeus 103 5.6 Theognes 104 5.7 Pindar (522 or 518–438 BCE) 105 5.8 Lesbos (Alcaeus, Sappho) 107 5.8.1 Alcaeus 107 5.8.2 Sappho 114 References 115 6: Greek Drama: Aeschylus 117 6.1 Seven against Thebes 119 6.2 The Persians 123 6.3 Suppliant Women 124 6.4 Prometheus Bound 127 6.5 The Oresteia Trilogy 134 6.5.1 Agamemnon 134 6.5.2 The Libation Bearers/Choephoroi 138 6.5.3 The Eumenides 141 References 145 7: Pre-Socratic Philosophy 146 7.1 The Importance of Pre-Socratic Philosophy 146 7.1.1 Pre-Socratic Philosophy as Dialectic of Myth 147 7.1.2 The Problem with Sources 148 7.2 A Radical Reading of Ancient Philosophy 149 7.3 Extracts: Philosophers 151 7.3.1 Ionic Thought 151 7.3.1.1 Anaximander 152 7.3.1.2 Xenophanes 158 7.3.1.3 Heraclitus 161 Movement and Change 162 The Fire 162 War 164 Unity of the Opposites 165 7.3.1.4 Anaxagoras 167 7.3.2 Ancient Philosophy in Magna Graecia 168 7.3.2.1 Alcmaeon of Croton 168 7.3.2.2 Empedocles of Acragas (Agrigentum) 169 7.3.3 The Followers 170 7.3.3.1 Archelaus from Athens 170 7.3.3.2 Democritus 171 7.3.4 The Sophists 173 7.3.4.1 Protagoras 174 7.3.4.2 Gorgias 177 7.3.4.3 Isocrates 177 7.3.4.4 Antiphon 178 7.3.4.5 Contrasting Arguments (Dissoi Logoi) of the Sophists, Thrasymachus and Power 179 References 182 8: Concluding Note 183 Reference 185 Index 186