Overview

Xenophon of Athens (c. 430–354 BCE) has long been considered an uncritical admirer of Sparta who hero-worships the Spartan King Agesilaus and eulogises Spartan practices in his Lacedaimoniôn Politeia. By examining his own self-descriptions - especially where he portrays himself as conversing with Socrates and falling short in his appreciation of Socrates' advice - this book finds in Xenophon's overall writing project a Socratic response to his exile and situates his writings about Sparta within this framework. It presents a detailed reading of the Lacedaimoniôn Politeia as a critical and philosophical examination of Spartan socio-cultural practices. Evidence from his own Hellenica, Anabasis and Agesilaus is shown to confirm Xenophon's analysis of the weaknesses in the Spartan system, and that he is not enamoured of Agesilaus. Finally, a comparison with contemporary Athenian responses to Sparta, shows remarkable points of convergence with his fellow Socratic Plato, as well as connections with Isocrates too.

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9781108479974

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'With this thoroughly researched, well-documented, and generally well-reasoned project, centered upon a close reading of the Constitution of the Lacedaemonians, Humble makes a compelling case for her main thesis and a valuable contribution to Xenophon scholarship.' Lorraine Pangle, Polis, The Journal for Ancient Greek and Roman Political Thought

'With this thoroughly researched, well-documented, and generally well-reasoned project, centered upon a close reading of the Constitution of the Lacedaemonians, Humble makes a compelling case for her main thesis and a valuable contribution to Xenophon scholarship.' Lorraine Pangle, Polis, The Journal for Ancient Greek and Roman Political Thought

Author Information

Noreen Humble is a Professor in the Department of Classics at the University of Calgary. She has published numerous articles about Xenophon and the reception of Xenophon and Plutarch in Byzantium and the Renaissance, and is the editor of Plutarch's Lives: Parallelism and Purpose (2010), and co-editor (with P. Crowley and S. Ross) of Mediterranean Travels: Writing Self and Other (2011).

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