This thesis is an investigation into the role of the dramatics in Plato's Phaedrus. I claim that the dramatics are meant to point the reader to the religious ceremonies known to us as the Mysteries of Eleusis, and further to the profanation of those mysteries that occurred in Athens in 415 BCE. This contextualization of the dialogue is done in order to locate Socrates' and Phaedrus' discussion in an historical setting that was having difficulties determining where between the public and private distinction in society the responsibility for temperance lies. The Phaedrus can thus be read as Plato's response to the problem in this area that the generation before his own faced. The conclusion that Socrates draws in the Phaedrus is that some will be able to act in a temperate and moderate fashion of their own accord, with no influence needed from the state apparatus, and that these citizens must lead the way on a path that all society must be convinced to follow if the city is to be unified in its being. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

An appreciation for the satire inherent in Aristophanes' Greek comedies Lysistrata, Women in Parliament and Women Celebrating the Thesmophoria is integral to understanding its ironic impact on modem day feminist movements. Using political events in the 21 st century, we can see how Aristophanes' mockery of the agency of women outside of the oikos, or the domestic space, has been challenged and defeated. I will support my ideas using the plethora of scholarly research I have consulted during my exploration of the works of Aristophanes. This research includes articles and books from authors such as David Cohen, Martine De Marre, Helene Foley, David Halperin, Froma I. Zeitlin and Gonda Van Steen. Furthermore, I will identify instances in Aristophanes' plays where his ridicule is most evident.

Euripides’ Phoenissae is a challenging work that is often overlooked by scholars of Greek drama. This study analyzes how the concept of autochthony occupies a central thematic concern of the play. On the one hand, autochthony unites humans to soil, political claims to myths, and present to past. On the other hand, autochthony was often invoked to exclude foreigners, women and exiles from political life at Athens. We observe a similar dichotomy in the Phoenissae. Autochthony unites the episode action–the story of the fraternal conflict—with the very different subject matter of the choral odes, which treat the founding myths of Thebes. By focalizing the lyric material through the perspective of marginalized female voices (Antigone and the chorus), Euripides is able to problematize the myths and rhetoric associated with autochthony. At the same time, Antigone’s departure with her father at the play’s close offers a transformation of autochthonous power into a positive religious entity. I suggest that a careful examination of the many facets of autochthony can inform our understanding of the Phoenissae with respect to dramatic structure, apparent Euripidean innovations, character motivation, stage direction and audience reception. / text

The purpose of this thesis is to defend Athenian democracy against a long-established suspicion that the Athenian government, with its radical form of popular participation, was not only incompetent but also dangerous. There are two serious misunderstandings in this traditional view; one is the myth of the decline of Athens after the death of Pericles, the other being the outright denial of Athenian democracy by its philosophers, Xenophon and Plato. These two common presumptions about Athenian history and philosophy are therefore examined. The historical examination focuses on three important events: the law reform, the reconciliation and the trial of Socrates. All of them were conducted by Athenian democracy at the end of the fifth century B.C., a period of time that is often cited for the failure of democracy. However, it is found that the democracy demonstrated its excellent ability to manage political conflicts through the laws and the reconciliation. As to the infamous trial of Socrates, there were reasons for the popular suspicion of the Philosopher’s way of life. Following what we have learnt in the historical survey, we search for responses to the three events in the works of Xenophon and Plato. There are passages, though often dismissed by scholars, which indicate remarkable recognition of the democratic achievements in domestic politics. As regards the trial of Socrates, there are also signs of second thoughts in their works that reveal understandings of the democracy’s condemnation of philosophy. The works of Socrates’ pupils show mixed evaluation rather than outright denial of Athenian democracy. The traditional suspicion of Athenian democracy is therefore problematic due to its misconception of Athenian history and philosophy.

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This dissertation examines the origin, purpose, and function of the Athenian ephebeia during the Lycurgan period (334/3-322/1 B.C.). The ephebeia, a compulsory two-year long state-funded and organized program of military service for eighteen and nineteen year old citizens called ephebes, did not exist as a formal institution prior to 334/3 B.C., the date of the earliest known ephebic inscriptions. Instead, the demos probably created the ephebeia after Alexander’s destruction of Thebes in September 335 B.C. because they needed a standing army to defend Attica against Boeotian raiders. The ephebeia, then, was not a Lycurgan reform of a long-standing institution but founded de novo for a specific military purpose. This explains many hitherto misunderstood aspects of the ephebeia’s organization, officials, and military activities. Having entrusted the defense of Athens to the youngest and most immature citizens with no combat experience, the demos turned them into a capable fighting force by subjecting them to unusually strict discipline and by establishing a program of military training under specialized instructors. The demos also encouraged reluctant ephebes to serve by appealing to their love of honor (philotimia) and rewarded them with many honors at the end of their garrison duty. In addition to its military activities, the ephebeia played an important role in the civic and moral paideia of the ephebes because they were unable to gain the educational benefits from Athens’ democratic institutions. The ephebeia, by instilling moderation, piety, and patriotic fervor in the ephebes, sought to make them virtuous citizens both dedicated to preserving the democracy and deeply motivated to freeing Athens from Macedonian domination. This devotion to the state explains why the institution was abolished by the pro-Macedonian oligarchy (321/0-319/8 B.C.) established after Athens’ defeat in the Lamian War in 322 B.C. / text

The habit of honouring outstanding individuals with statues was common throughout the Roman Empire. Yet after the end of the Severan reign at the beginning of the third century AD, a decrease in honorific statues is generally assumed to have taken place. This thesis aims to evaluate this hypothesis, focusing specifically on the years AD 222-285. The thesis is assessing the contemporaneous imperial remains for the Roman Empire as a whole and the evidence from four exemplary cities that are particularly conspicuous in their statuary production and display, both before and after the time frame under investigation (Leptis Magna, Athens, Ephesus, Aphrodisias). The purpose is to explore the standards, conventions, and limitations of statuary practice in Roman society in a synthetic and comparative analysis and thereby to evaluate its political and social role during a state of internal and external instability, labelled 'the third century crisis'. By providing concrete figures, the practice of the third century can be juxtaposed with both the antecedent and subsequent centuries and this will facilitate a more coherent insight into the overall development and changes in Roman honorific statuary practice. The results suggest that the assumed decline in the number of statuary installations might have to be re-evaluated. It has become apparent that in order to obtain comparable numbers, the inclusion of imperial family members in any statistical evaluation is indispensable, a factor which has previously been disregarded. A gradual decrease cannot be supported and neither can a decrease in the appreciation of honours.

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Cette thèse étudie les modes d'organisation et de financement des concours (agônes) de la cité d'Athènes aux époques hellénistique et impériale (de ca. 320 av. J.-C. jusqu'au milieu du IIIe siècle ap. J.-C.). Elle propose un corpus rassemblant toutes les sources, majoritairement épigraphiques, systématiquement traduites et commentées (Volume I), une synthèse historique et analytique sur la question (Volume II), des annexes et illustrations (Volume III).L'étude porte d'abord sur les formules institutionnelles retenues par les Athéniens pour encadrer l'organisation des concours théâtraux, musicaux et gymniques. Elle est consacrée au premier chef à l'agonothésie, charge civique créée au début de l'époque hellénistique et qui se maintint jusque sous l'Empire. Nous avons défini et établi le domaine de compétence et d'action des agonothètes athéniens, ainsi que leurs évolutions, en étant attentif à la périodisation propre à l'histoire de cette fonction comme à celle de la cité. L'athlothésie, magistrature spécifique aux Panathénées et maintenue à l'époque hellénistique, ainsi que la chorégie, réapparue au Ier siècle ap. J.-C., moins bien attestées, font l'objet de la même enquête. Les tâches liées à ces charges, souvent sous-estimées, entraînaient en fait une implication personnelle importante de la part des titulaires.Un examen attentif de la question montre que, contrairement à l'idée généralement admise, le financement des concours ne reposaient pas exclusivement sur la générosité des agonothètes. Au moins jusqu'au début de l'époque impériale, la cité devait fournir l'essentiel des sommes nécessaires. Enfin, une étude d'histoire sociale s'intéresse à l'identité et au milieu des agonothètes, à la place de l'agonothésie dans la carrière d'un citoyen, ainsi qu'à la façon dont leurs concitoyens appréciaient l'exercice de cette charge ; elle apportait à celui qui l'exerçait une popularité certaine, et souvent l'octroi d'honneurs publics.Cette thèse offre une monographie sur l'organisation des concours athéniens pendant six siècles, ce qui permet d'apprécier ses évolutions sur le temps long, dans un espace géographique et politique cohérent. Elle montre l'importance des enjeux entourant la vie agonistique de la cité d'Athènes, qu'ils soient d'ordre institutionnel, culturel, économique ou politique. / This doctoral thesis examines the modalities of organizing and financing the contests (agônes) taking place in the city of Athens in Hellenistic and Imperial periods (from 320 BC until the middle of the 3rd century AD). It consists of a comprehensive corpus gathering all the available evidence (mostly inscriptions), with a French translation and a specific commentary (Volume I) ; a historical and analytic synthesis on the topic as a whole (Volume II) ; and appendixes and illustrations (Volume III).This study first aims at a definition of the institutions Athenians chose to create at the head of the civic contests. It mostly deals with agonothesia, a civic office created at the beginning of the Hellenistic period and was maintained until the Roman Empire. We have defined the fields of expertise and of actions of the Athenian agonothetes and their evolutions, paying a specific attention to both the history of this office and of the city. A similar inquiry has been carried on about athlothesia, a magistracy concerned only with Panathenaia, and choregia, which was recreated in the 1st century AD (both of them being well less known than agonothesia). The tasks implied by these offices, often overlooked, reveal a very important personal involvement from the office-holders.Contrary to what is generally assumed, the agonothetes did not fund the contests exclusively from their own pockets, as a close examination shows. At least until the Imperial period, the city continued to provide most of the money needed. Finally, a social study investigates on who were the Athenian agonothetes and which milieu they were coming from ; it scrutinizes the importance of agonothesia in a public career, and the perception of this office by the average fellow-citizens. Agonothesia usually brought popularity to its holder, and quite often motivated public honors from the city.This thesis is a monography on the organization of Athenian games throughout six centuries, which allows a study on the long term, in a coherent space, geographically and politically. It shows the importance of the agonistic life in Athens, notably from institutionnal, cultural, economical and political points of view.