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History General

Festivals and Legends

by (author) Noel Robertson

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Dec 1992
Category
General
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780802059888
    Publish Date
    Dec 1992
    List Price
    $123.00
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781442674851
    Publish Date
    Dec 1992
    List Price
    $121.00

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Description

War was a constant activity, almost a staple livelihood, in the cities of ancient Greece, and many public festivals served to promote and celebrate war. They entailed reunions of the whole community, often at the new year, for enrolling citizens or conducting games. Noel Robertson focuses on such festivals in Athens, Aprta, Argos, and two smaller centres, in order to reconstruct the social conditions reflected in the festival programs and settings.

He begins with a close analysis of the extant evidence, bringing together for the first time the many small, scattered indications in familiar sources. He uses in addition new epigraphic and archaeological evidence which has recently come to light at Athens.

Since ritual is by definition unchanging, public festivals can disclose earlier stages of social organization. Robertson also shows how the festivals gave rise, by way of aetiology (explanatory tales or legends), to some persistent misconceptions about the past.

About the author

Noel Robertson is a member of the Department of Classics at Brock University.

Noel Robertson's profile page