Athenian Democracy at War

'This comprehensive book by internationally respected Australian scholar Dr Pritchard - the first such, involving a new theory about democracy and warmaking in ancient Athens - addresses the relationship between the fact of Athens' democracy and the fact of its transformational military record. Classical Athens is famous for its direct democracy and innovative culture, but less well understood is that it was its democracy that caused this military success.' Paul Cartledge, A. G. Leventis Professor (Emeritus) of Greek Culture and Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge 'Pritchard's book gives stunning insights into Athenian democracy's attitude to war. Did the Persian Wars influence the development of Athenian democracy? Why were wars so important for the prestige of Athenian citizens? How did the Athenians finance and organise their wars? In answering these fundamental questions his book analyses brilliantly the mutual impact that Athenian democracy and war had on each other.' Claudia Tiersch, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin 'David Pritchard has written the definitive account of classical Athenian warfare. He offers astute analyses of the Athenian armed forces, military finance, the ideology of war, war and sport, and the relationship between warfare and democracy. His arguments are careful; his documentation is meticulous. It will be essential reading for all serious students of Athens, democracy, and warfare.' Josiah Ober, Stanford University, California 'A masterful, debatable and elegantly crafted analysis of the world's first democratic empire and why it was no protagonist of 'democratic peace'.' John Keane, University of Sydney and Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin fur Sozialforschung '... this thought-provoking and vital book (aimed at 'students and teachers, interested general readers and scholars alike') is a must for anyone interested not just in classical Greek warfare and politics but in what this can tell us about the relationship between democracies in general and the military.' David Stuttard, Classics for All 'This comprehensive book by internationally respected Australian scholar Dr Pritchard - the first such, involving a new theory about democracy and warmaking in ancient Athens - addresses the relationship between the fact of Athens' democracy and the fact of its transformational military record. Classical Athens is famous for its direct democracy and innovative culture, but less well understood is that it was its democracy that caused this military success.' Paul Cartledge, A. G. Leventis Professor (Emeritus) of Greek Culture and Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge 'Pritchard's book gives stunning insights into Athenian democracy's attitude to war. Did the Persian Wars influence the development of Athenian democracy? Why were wars so important for the prestige of Athenian citizens? How did the Athenians finance and organise their wars? In answering these fundamental questions his book analyses brilliantly the mutual impact that Athenian democracy and war had on each other.' Claudia Tiersch, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin 'David Pritchard has written the definitive account of classical Athenian warfare. He offers astute analyses of the Athenian armed forces, military finance, the ideology of war, war and sport, and the relationship between warfare and democracy. His arguments are careful; his documentation is meticulous. It will be essential reading for all serious students of Athens, democracy, and warfare.' Josiah Ober, Stanford University, California 'A masterful, debatable and elegantly crafted analysis of the world's first democratic empire and why it was no protagonist of 'democratic peace'.' John Keane, University of Sydney and Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin fur Sozialforschung '... this thought-provoking and vital book (aimed at 'students and teachers, interested general readers and scholars alike') is a must for anyone interested not just in classical Greek warfare and politics but in what this can tell us about the relationship between democracies in general and the military.' David Stuttard, Classics for All