Lecture 7 - ancient literary sources

Question 1

Political lessons

Answer 1

Men of affairs have inside expertise. Polybius explains the rise of Rome. They have a duty to write; educating statesmen. There is an importance in truth, the search for causes and a concern for documentation.

Question 2

Loss of political power

Answer 2

Senators lose powers to emperors. Senatorial freedom versus despotic power.

Question 3

Letters

Answer 3

They can give private perspectives, but there are problems of communication. Not all as ‘private’ as they seem. Some of them are more like essays in letter form

Question 4

Ancient use of sources

Answer 4

They often used other sources without acknowledgement of that authors work. But they do sometime give authority to that writer’s work if they are particularly important.

Question 5

Speeches

Answer 5

Inspired by epic poetry but also reflect political life, maybe not accurate.

Question 6

Biography

Answer 6

Polybius X21 tends to eulogise its subject. Plutarch writes to illuminate the moral message of his subject.

Question 7

Technical literature

Answer 7

Covers a wide variety of subjects, some more practical others more literary, may be as revealing of social, political, cultural attitudes as they are of their subject area.