We are pleased to invite you to the first public lecture of the UKRI/ERC project ‘Class Struggle in Ancient Greek Democracy’ (Edinburgh).
It will be delivered by Professor Matt Simonton (Arizona State University) on Tuesday, 11 March 2025, at 5pm, in the Basement Theatre of Adam House (3 Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1HT). It will be followed by a drink reception.
Prof. Simonton will speak on ‘Dogs, ticks, monsters, madmen: the role(s) of the demagogues in the ancient Greek class struggle’
Abstract
Beginning with the earliest assessments of the Athenian democracy from antiquity, the figure of the “demagogue” has been successively vilified, rehabilitated, redefined, neutralised, or vindicated according to the political and ideological assumptions of the historian. This talk seeks to situate the figure of the dēmagōgos in his historical context as a participant in the ancient Greek class struggle. That means not denying the demagogues’ role in (occasionally) precipitating civil strife but at the same time not allowing modern categories to obscure the place of the “leader of the people” in the overall political system—as a (humble and precariously perched) agent of the sovereign people, only rarely its master.
Matt Simonton is Associate Professor of History at Arizona State University. His research to date has focused on Classical Greek constitutional systems, civil war and reconciliation in the ancient world, comparative studies of democracy and authoritarianism, and the history of ancient Greek democracies.
Further information and a link to register can be found here.
Please write to mirko.canevaro@ed.ac.uk for any further information.