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The 'Old Oligarch': The Constitution of the Athenians Attributed to Xenophon

edited, with an introduction, translation and commentary by J L Marr and P J Rhodes

'Old Oligarch' is a label often applied to the unknown author of the Athenian Constitution preserved with the works of Xenophon. Probably written in the mid 420s B.C., it is the earliest surviving Athenian prose text, and its author was probably a young pupil of the teachers known as sophists. It is an essay which replies to oligarchic criticisms of the Athenian democracy by agreeing with the critics that democracy is distasteful but arguing that it is appropriate for Athens as a city whose power depends on the poorer citizens who row the navy's ships, and that it is successful and could not easily be overthrown. This edition provides a Greek text and English translation, with Introduction, Commentary and Appendixes which discuss the date, authorship and character of the work, the historical background, the statements and arguments presented by the author and features of the author's style. 208p (Classical Texts Series, Aris & Phillips, an imprint of Oxbow Books 2008)

Review Quotes

"...has all the qualities necessary to become a standard work of reference among the studies that deal with the 'Old Oligarch' - it will not be easy to improve on it."

Delfim F. Leao
Bryn Mawr Classical Review (2009)

"Reading it has been a stimulating and pleasurable experience. I recommend it very warmly to all interested parties."

Christopher J. Tuplin
Polis Vol.26, No.2 (2009)

Table of Contents

Preface
References
Introduction:
1. The name 'Old Oligarch
2. The title of the work
3. dating
4. authorship
5. The author and his immediate audience
6. The self-interest theory
7. The two-fold class division: the demos versus the oligoi
8. Class designations and class labels
9. Other stylistic features
10. Structure
11. The text

Dates assigned to the Constitution of the Athenians
Select Bibliography
Text & translation Constitution of the Athenians
Commentary

Appendixes:
1) The imagined criticisms answered in the work
2) Occurances of the words demos/demotikoi/demokratia
3) Qualities & characteristics ascribed to the demos and the oligoi
4) Class designations & class labels
5) Characteristic vocabulary
6) Examples of verbal repetition
7) Generalisations
Index

Author Bibliographic

J.L Marr is a former Lecturer in Classics and Ancient Hostory and at the University of Exeter
P.J. Rhodes was Professor of Ancient History and is now Honorary Professor at the University of Durham.

Related Titles

• Xenophon: Hellenika I-II.3.10
  edited with an introduction, translation and commentary by P. Krentz.

• Xenophon and Arrian on Hunting
  edited with an introduction, translation and commentary by A A Phillips and M M Willcock

• Xenophon: Apology & Memorabilia I
  edited with an introduction, translation and commentary by M.D. Macleod

• Xenophon: Symposium
  edited by A.J. Bowen

• Xenophon: Hellenika II.3.11 - IV.2.8
  edited with an Introduction, Translation and Commentary by Peter Krentz

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