Re-constructing the slave: an examination of slave representation in the Greek polis
Abstract
This thesis examines the ways in which slaves are represented in classical Greek
sources. The aim of this study is to examine the ideology which informed Greek
depictions of slaves. Through such an analysis, we can learn a great deal not only
about important issues such as Greek perceptions of barbarians and manual labour,
but also wider issues, such as the nature of our sources and the ways in which
Greeks defined themselves through their use of the antithetical image of the slave -
the quintessential "Other" to the Greek ideal. Since slaves are depicted in a range
of material, this thesis draws upon representations of slaves from sources as varied
as art, drama, oratory, and philosophy. In short, this study examines
representations of slaves in their own right. It highlights the cross-generic
pervasiveness of slave representation and examines how representation functioned
to naturalise and perpetuate the institution of slavery in ancient Greece.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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