Ancient Greece Discussion Questions

September 12: Herodotus Discussion 1 
Readings: Herodotus 1 

  1. What does Herodotus see as the purpose of his work? What does he see as his relation with the earlier authors we have read, such as Homer, Hesiod, and the philosophers?
  2. Why does Herodotus include the Solon/Croesus meeting, even though it could not possibly have happened? What does it show about how we should read the Histories? Can it be applied elsewhere in Book 1?
  3. What role does Herodotus see the gods and fate as playing in history? What role does this leave for human decisions?
  4. What does Herodotus reveal about his sources? What else can we infer about where he gets his information from
  5. What other stories are similar to Herodotus' account of the birth and youth of Cyrus? What does this show about Herodotus and his sources?
  6. What does the Persian ethnography reveal about Herodotus and his tolerance of non-Greeks? What do the Persian customs he highlights reveal about the Greeks and their civilization?
  7. What does Herodotus' attitude towards the political organization of the Greeks seem to be? What sort of organization does he seem to favor?
  8. What qualities does Herodotus seem to admire most in Cyrus? What lessons would he want his audience to take from Cyrus' death?


September 28: Herodotus Discussion 2 
Readings: Herodotus 5.25-39, 5.49-54, 5.97-6.32, 6.94-140, 7.1-58, 7.138-144, 7.175-8.20, 8.40-96, 9.1-89, 9.108-113, 9.122 

  1. What is the attitude of Herodotus towards Xerxes and how is this similar or different from other leaders? Does he portray Xerxes as a simple despot, or is there more to him?
  2. Does Herodotus have a concept of Justice in the Histories? How does this effect how he portrays the Persians?
  3. What role does Herodotus see the gods and fate as playing in history? What role does this leave for human decisions? Is this different in the later books than in Book 1?
  4. What does Herodotus see as defining the Greeks as "Greek?" Is there a particular "Greek" identity that transcends individual cities? How does Herodotus feel about the political divisions of the Greeks?
  5. How does Herodotus define the concept of "freedom"?
  6. What are Herodotus' feelings about Athens? Are there any negative connotations to Athens' actions during the wars that Herodotus wants his readers to see?
  7. Why, according to Herodotus, to the Persians really fail to conquer Greece? Is it due primarily to the Greeks themselves, or are other factors at work? What does this show about Herodotus' world view?
  8. Why does Herodotus choose to close the Histories with the story at 9.122? What message does he want his audience to take away from reading the Histories?


October 10: Aeschylus Discussion 
Readings: Aeschylus, The Oresteia

  1. Are we meant to think that Agamemnon was acting justly when he sacrificed his daughter Iphigeneia in order to set sail against Troy?
  2. Why does Clytaemnestra associate her tempting of Agamemnon to tread on the crimson tapestries with the working out of Justice?
  3. Does the chorus believe that revenge carried out by Orestes will end the cycle of retribution "[t]hree generations strong"—retribution that brings "destruction on destruction"?
  4. Why does Aeschylus include the opening monologue of the Pythia? What does it contribute to the mood of the play?
  5. Why does Athena defer to mortal judges in a case of murder, saying that "murder whets the passions"?
  6. When Athena establishes the court on the Crag of Ares, why does she warn the Athenians to "never banish terror from the gates, not outright"
  7. When the Furies are transformed into the Eumenides, does their essential character change? Why does Athena say to them that "no house can thrive without you?"
  8. How does the concept of "Justice" evolve and change through the plays?
  9. In showing the founding of the Areopagus, is Aeschylus coming out in favor of or against the reforms of Ephialtes?


October 24: Thucydides Discussion 1 
Readings: Thucydides, 1-2.10 

  1. What does Thucydides see as the purpose of his work? How does Thucydides' approach to history differ from Herodotus? How might the earlier historian have influenced the approach Thucydides takes (or does not take) in his work?
  2. What is the purpose of the so-called "Archaeology?" What does it reveal about Thucydides' own understanding of the world?
  3. What are the defining characteristics of the Athenians, according to the Corinthians? How well does this describe the Athenians as they are portrayed elsewhere in Book 1? How well does this describe the Athenians as we have seen them outside of Thucydides?
  4. What are the defining characteristics of the Spartans, according to the Corinthians? How well does this describe the Spartans as they are portrayed elsewhere in Book 1? How well does this describe the Spartans as we have seen them outside of Thucydides?
  5. What is Pericles' strategy for conducting war with Sparta? Does this seem like a good or a bad idea to you? What sort of victory can the Athenians achieve following this strategy?
  6. What methods, procedures, and institutions for conducting international relations do the Greeks use? How well do they seem to work? How do they differ from the way Sparta maintains relations with her allies?
  7. Thucydides makes a great show of dating the outbreak of the war, yet he begins with a hitherto uninvolved protagonist, Thebes. Why? What does this show about the nature of the Greek city states, and of the war to come?


October 29: Aristophanes Discussion 
Readings: Aristophanes, Acharnians (review Clouds as well) 

  1. Most plays of Aristophanes feature a "comic hero" such as Dikaiopolis in the Acharnians or Strepsiades in the Clouds. What are the characteristics of this hero? How does he confront his problems? How might he appeal to the Athenian audience?
  2. What civic event is portrayed in the opening scene of the Acharnians? What rules govern the way it is conducted? What prospects are discussed?
  3. How well does truth fare in the assembly? What techniques do various people use to persuade the Assembly, and how effective are they? How does this compare to the debates in Thucydides? Note especially Lamachus.
  4. What constituency does Dicaeopolis claim to represent? Is he able to voice his concerns effectively? Why or why not? What does this say about the functioning of democracy under the stress of war?
  5. What causes are given for the outbreak of war in the Acharnians? How well do these tally with Thucydides?
  6. What does "Acharnians" suggest peace is for - both as Dicaeopolis yearns for it in the first part of the play, and as he enjoys it in the second? How does the play work as parable for the Athenian state?
  7. How does the action of the second half of the "Acharnians" move the audience's sympathies?
  8. Where does the humor in the play come from? Who is the audience supposed to laugh at, and why?
  9. What are the problems with using these plays for reconstructing 5th century Athens. What kind of historical information can we get from the plays?


November 2: Thucydides Discussion 2 
Readings: Thucydides 2.10-2.78, 3.1-68, 3.70-85, 4.1-48, 4.58-65, 4.78-4.88, 4.102-119, 5.1-26

  1. How does the description of the Athenian character in the Funeral Oration compare with the description given by the Corinthians in Book 1? How do the ideas behind the Funeral Oration fit in with the Periclean Building program? How does Pericles define the idea of "justice?"
  2. Why does Thucydides give such a detailed description of the plague? How does Pericles' description of the Athenians' character in the Funeral Oration compare with their actions during the plague?
  3. How does the description of Athens and the Athenian Empire in the Funeral Oration contrast with the description in the final speech of Pericles? Is it possible to reconcile the two?
  4. How justified are the Mytilenians in revolting? What does this show about the nature of the Greek city?
  5. How do Cleon and Diodotus define the concepts of "justice" and power in their speeches? How does it compare to the Funeral Oration? Whose definition is acted on and what does it show about the state of democracy at Athens?
  6. The Mytilenian debate is juxtaposed with the debate over Plataea. Why does Thucydides do this, and what does it show about the nature of Sparta compared to Athens?
  7. Why does Thucydides go into such detail on the local Corcyraean civil war? What does he reveal about human nature? Is he right? Where else in the history have we seen this side of humanity?
  8. How is Thucydides treated by the Athenians for his failure to relieve Amphipolis? Is this justified? What does this treatment reveal about the Athenians? Is Thucydides at all defensive in his narrative or in 5.26?


November 9: Thucydides Discussion 3 
Readings: Thucydides 5.84-116, 6, 7

  1. How is justice defined by the Athenians in the Melian Dialogue? What makes the Athenian Empire "just"? How does this relate to previous definitions we have seen from Pericles, Cleon, Diodotus, et al.?
  2. Why does Thucydides juxtapose the Melian Dialogue with the Athenian decision to invade Sicily? How do the Athenians compare to the Melians by the end of 7?
  3. How is Alcibiades' speech at the start of Book 6 designed to play to the characteristics of the Athenians? How does Nicias try to counter this? How does this compare to Pericles' approach?
  4. What is the purpose of the digression on Harmodius and Aristogeiton (VI.53-59) and how does it fit into the larger portrayal of Athens in Thucydides?
  5. What are Thucydides' views on the nature of democracy (think back to earlier passages as well)? Is democracy compatible with empire?
  6. What characteristics normally associated with the Athenians do the Syracusans gradually assume over the courses of Books 6 and 7? What types of characteristics do the Athenians take on?
  7. Much of the responsibility for the disaster of the Sicilian Expedition seems to fall on the shoulders of Nicias, yet Thucydides gives him short eulogy at the end of 7, unique in the history. Why does Thucydides do this, and what is he trying to convey about Nicias' role in the expedition?
  8. It is often felt that the narrative of the Sicilian Expedition does not bear out Thucydides claim at 2.65 that "the mistake was not so much an error of judgement with regard to the opposition to be expected as a failure on the part of those who were at home to give proper support for their forces overseas." Based on your knowledge of Thucydides' understanding of human nature, war, civil strife, etc., can you argue that his judgement at 2.65 is valid? If not, what may have caused Thucydides to reach such a conclusion?


November 30: The Future of the Polis Discussion 
Readings: Selections from Plato's Republic, Isocrates: Panegyricus 

  1. Based on the elements of the ideal city that Plato emphasizes, what aspects of the traditional Greek Polis did he find most objectionable or problematic?
  2. Does Plato’s description of the ideal city in the Republic at all resemble any of the Greek cities we have studied?
  3. Is the city described in the Republic at all feasible, or is it just wishful thinking on Plato’s part?
  4. What are Isocrates’ main arguments for the primacy of Athens? How persuasive are they? What do they show about how the Greeks approached their early history and myth?
  5. What is Isocrates’ plan to unify the Greek city-states? How does he see this being accomplished? Does it strike you as an obtainable goal?
  6. What does Isocrates see as the main problem the Greeks face? How does this differ from Plato?
  7. What other approaches have we seen Greek states taking to be successful, and how does they differ (or not) from the 5th century?


© Charles E. Muntz 2011-2024