I was a classics major and taught Greek philosophy most of my life - off and on. If I read two books a year on the Greeks, that would be a hundred plus over the last half century. Sometimes I think, well, what’s left to learn?, maybe I should switch to modern novels. This book, however, was a really informative read.
Ober writes that he he is using “modern tools” to examine the classical efflorescence. Indeed. You will find all the buzz words of the last 30 years in this book. You will find our old friend E O Wilson, of course, game theory and all it’s application to human society and (I myself strongly demur) the default of rational decider economic theory
Especially interesting to me as a beekeeper and hymenopteraphiliac was the early dependence on lateral organization among the social insects (ants, in this example). This work is truly insightful and is changing our constructs in many fields, including neuroscience. Ants at Work, is the study quoted, but I would suggest the more recent Honeybee Democracy. Bit of a digression, I guess, but also an excellent example of how Ober deploys "modern tools" in his book. I do think applying this model of social organization is a new and interesting take on the organization of the polis. The theme is dropped after the first quarter of the book.
There are graphs and charts throughout the book , in addition to other things giving detailed information on the size and rankings of the polies recently compiled which give the classics student a much need context to the usual Athen=Greece perspective. Syracuse is well covered, another unusual feature. Modern measurements are used to attempt to quantify the actual “material” achievements of the life style during the classical period, helping us understand the common claim that the Greeks reached a standard of living not re-achieved for several millennia.
I should note, there seems to be a school developing in the classics department at Stanford. I (coincidentally) read this book after Foragers, Farmers and Fossil Fuel to which this book refers and which I would also recommend.
When the classics are, they say, declining along with the liberal arts in general, I’m amazed at how much good stuff continues to be published. This book is not just good stuff, however, it is essential reading for classicists and students and history buffs in general.
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En effet Ober cherche les causes de la réussite grecque, avec à sa disposition de nouvelles découvertes archéologiques qui lui permettront d'être encore plus précis.
Il s'intéresse à l'histoire économique, aux institutions politiques et donc à la philosophie politique, à la démographie, le livre est truffé de courbes en tout genre, graphiques, tableaux, cartes, très utile à la compréhension de ce miracle pré-moderne.
Ober se demande aussi pourquoi une Grèce aussi divisée (les cités) a autant réussi alors que la division aurait dû en faire une proie facile surtout avec l'empire Perse juste à côté.
L'auteur n'hésite pas à comparer avec les différentes époques et plutôt que tomber dans le vulgaire anachronisme, ses mises en perspectives nourrissent la réflexion.
C'est un livre dans la lignée de ce qu'il se passe depuis quelques décennies maintenant dans les universités anglo-saxonnes (les travaux souvent publiés chez Princeton comme celui-ci), et ce depuis la mondialisation. Ober l'annonce dès son introduction, il parle de la "global history", des historiens comme Douglass North (on pense aussi à Joel Mokyr avec son "The Gifts of Athena" qui va très bien avec celui d'Ober). Pour l’auteur, l'analyse de la réussite (et la chute) de la Grèce antique doit nous servir pour nos démocraties modernes. Tout comme la global history nous permet de mieux comprendre la mondialisation.
Ceux ayant des connaissances solides sur l'Antiquité n'apprendront pas grand chose, juste quelques solides confirmations. Le livre n'est pas uniquement un essai et fonctionne aussi comme synthèse de l'histoire de la Grèce, avec quelques passages sur l'histoire politique et militaire très pointu. Une vraie réussite.
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