Oral Tradition and Written Record in Classical Athens
Oral Tradition and Written Record in Classical Athens
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Summary
Concentrating on the plentiful evidence from Classical Athens, Dr Thomas shows how the use of writing developed only gradually and under the influence of the previous oral method of communication - an insight of considerable significance for the interpretation of ancient literacy.
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Oral Tradition and Written Record in Classical Athens by Rosalind Thomas
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 character and 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. It also has major implications for the interpretation of ancient literacy.
'Rosalind Thomas has given us a landmark book: sinewy, provocative, closely argued, widely ranging, selectively learned and discreetly imaginative' Peter Parsons, London Review of Books
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780521350259 |
| ISBN 10 | 0521350255 |
| Title | Oral Tradition and Written Record in Classical Athens |
| Author | Rosalind Thomas |
| Series | Cambridge Studies In Oral And Literate Culture |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| Year published | 1989-03-09 |
| Number of pages | 336 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |