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Material sources for Greek history:
archaeological evidence: inscriptions• Epigraphy: inscriptions on stone,
metal, terracotta – durable materials– typically contemporary– often fragmentary– nearly useless if not dated
• Limited survival of texts– Aristotle’s Athenian Constitution– Oxyrhynchos Historian– many fragments of (un)known works
Material sources for Greek history:
other archaeological evidence: coins• Field of numismatics (<νομίζειν, to
use according to νόμος – “law” or “custom”)– post 550 BCE, so not applicable earlier– limited use as propaganda, so little
internal evidence– long periods of usage, so broad range of
dates
Material sources for Greek history:
other archaeological evidence: architecture, sculpture, vase painting• Architecture– often can be dated– internal ideologies– evidence of wealth– evidence of skill
• Sculpture, vase painting-can be dated stylistically
- reveals social customs- high level of sophistication
Material sources for Greek history:
other archaeological evidence: field data• Pollen analysis, petrology, animal
bones– trade– economics– social customs– settlement patterns– public vs. private space– diet– environmental conditions
All sources for Greek history:literary and material
• Context is key• Congruence is rare• Historians must
draw upon all sources to complete the picture
• Next: datingschemes, climatetopography and demography
Congruence
Literature
EpigraphyArchaeology
Dating schemes: caveat emptor• Each polis used different systems (&