The Ancient Greek Economy
The Ancient Greek Economy
David M. Lewis, University of Edinburgh
Mark Woolmer, University of Durham
The Ancient Greek Economy: Markets, Households and City-States brings together sixteen essays by leading scholars of the ancient Greek economy specialising in history, economics, archaeology and numismatics. Marshalling a wide array of evidence, these essays investigate and analyse the role of market-exchange in the economy of the ancient Greek world, demonstrating the central importance of markets for production and exchange of goods and services during the Classical and Hellenistic periods. Contributors draw on evidence from literary texts and inscriptions, household archaeology, amphora studies and numismatics. Together, the essays provide an original and compelling approach to the issue of explaining economic growth in the ancient Greek world.
- Presents a broad array of evidence (archaeology, epigraphy, numismatics) and methods
- Focuses on the role and importance of markets and market exchange in ancient Greece
- Provides an original and compelling approach to the issue of explaining economic growth in the Classical and Hellenistic periods
Reviews & endorsements
'All in all the arguments are very persuasive - more so possibly than the authors are prepared to admit. At a recent reception I was firmly told that the Greeks had no concept of economic theory because Aristotle would have said so if they had. I wish that that I had read this exciting compilation before that discussion.' Classics For All
Product details
April 2018Paperback
9781108456173
488 pages
253 × 180 × 25 mm
0.96kg
20 b/w illus. 2 maps
Available
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction Edward M. Harris and David M. Lewis
- Part I. Creating the Foundations of Market Exchange: The Role of the State:
- 2. Aristotle and foreign trade Alain Bresson
- 3. Forging links between communities: trade policy in Classical Athens Mark Woolmer
- 4. Choosing and changing monetary standards in the Greek world during the Archaic and the Classical periods Selene Psoma
- 5. The legal foundations of economic growth in ancient Greece: the role of property records Edward M. Harris
- Part II. Household Production for Markets:
- 6. Industry structure and income opportunities for households in Classical Athens Peter Acton
- 7. Whole cloth: exploring the Greek economy through the evidence for textile manufacture and purchase in Greek houses Barbara Tsakirgis
- 8. Producing for the market: estate economy in Northern Greece during the Hellenistic period Evi Margaritis
- Part III. Markets and Trade Networks: The Evidence of Transport Amphoras:
- 9. Patterns of amphora stamp distribution: tracking down export tendencies Tania Panagou
- 10. The markets for Thasian wine Chavdar Tzochev
- 11. Transport amphoras and market behavior in the economies of Classical and Hellenistic Greece Mark L. Lawall
- Part IV. Markets, Commodities and Trade Networks:
- 12. An overview of commodities in long-distance trade 500–300 BCE Peter van Alfen
- 13. Towards a general theory of long-distance trade: aromatics as a case study John K. Davies
- 14. The market for slaves in the fifth and fourth century Aegean: Achaemenid Anatolia as a case study David M. Lewis
- 15. 'Vita humanior sine sale non quit degere': demand for salt and salt trade patterns in the ancient Greek world Cristina Carusi
- 16. Classical Greek trade in comparative perspective Geoffrey Kron.
