Oral tradition and written record in classical Athens / Rosalind Thomas.

By:

Thomas, Rosalind, 1959-

Material type: Text

TextSeries: Cambridge studies in oral and literate culturePublication details: Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1991.Description: 321 p. ; 23 cmISBN:

0521425182

Subject(s):

DDC classification:

480.9385

Summary: "Despite its written literature, ancient Greece was in many ways an oral society. This is the first serious attempt to study the implications of this view. Dr Thomas stresses the coexistence of literacy and oral tradition in Greece and examines their interaction. Concentrating on the plentiful evidence from Classical Athens, she shows how the use of writing developed only gradually and under the influence of the previous oral communication. Drawing on anthropological discussion, the author isolates different types of Athenian oral tradition, building up a picture of Athens' traditions about its past and examining why they changed and disappeared. This study provides crucial insights into the methods and achievements of the Greek historians and therefore into the very material of Greek history. It also has major implications for the interpretation of ancient literacy."-- Publisher's description.

Holdings ( 1 )
Title notes ( 3 )

Holdings
Item type	Current library	Call number	Status	Date due	Barcode	Item holds
Book - 7-day loan	CYA Library Main Collection	480.9385 ΤΗΟ (Browse shelf(Opens below))	Available		00000009639

Total holds: 0

Browsing CYA Library shelves, Shelving location: Main Collection Close shelf browser (Hides shelf browser)

Previous			No cover image available		No cover image available	No cover image available		Next
Previous	480 THR The Attic dialect /	480.9 HOR Greek :	480.9 SEM The Greek language in its evolution :	480.9385 ΤΗΟ Oral tradition and written record in classical Athens /	481 BAL The Phaistos disk :	481.1 LAM Two inscribed documents of the Athenian Empire :	481.1 TRA Athenian Lettering of the Fifth Century B.C. :	Next

Revision of thesis (doctoral) - London University, 1986.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"Despite its written literature, ancient Greece was in many ways an oral society. This is the first serious attempt to study the implications of this view. Dr Thomas stresses the coexistence of literacy and oral tradition in Greece and examines their interaction. Concentrating on the plentiful evidence from Classical Athens, she shows how the use of writing developed only gradually and under the influence of the previous oral communication. Drawing on anthropological discussion, the author isolates different types of Athenian oral tradition, building up a picture of Athens' traditions about its past and examining why they changed and disappeared. This study provides crucial insights into the methods and achievements of the Greek historians and therefore into the very material of Greek history. It also has major implications for the interpretation of ancient literacy."-- Publisher's description.