Loren J. Samons's Books

Pericles and the Conquest of History

A Political Biography

By: Loren J. Samons, II

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Pericles and the Conquest of History

A Political Biography

By: Loren J. Samons, II

As the most famous and important political leader in Athenian history, Pericles has featured prominently in descriptions and analysis of Athenian democracy from antiquity to the present day. Although contemporary historians have tended to treat him as representative of values like liberty and equality, Loren J. Samons, II demonstrates that the quest to make Athens the preeminent power in Greece served as the central theme of Pericles' career. More nationalist than humanist and less rationalist than populist, Pericles' vision for Athens rested on the establishment of an Athenian reputation for military success and the citizens' willingness to sacrifice in the service of this goal. Despite his own aristocratic (if checkered) ancestry, Pericles offered the common and collective Athenian people the kind of fame previously available only to heroes and nobleman, a goal made all the more attractive because of the Athenians' defensiveness about Athens' lackluster early history.

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347

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1316462625

ISBN 13

9781316462621

What's Wrong with Democracy?

From Athenian Practice to American Worship

By: Loren J. Samons

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What's Wrong with Democracy?

From Athenian Practice to American Worship

By: Loren J. Samons

This is unlike any recent work I know of. It offers a challenging, often refreshing, and what will certainly be a controversial assessment of classical Athenian democracy and its significance to modern America. Samons is willing to tread where few other classicists are willing to go in print. He reminds readers that the Athenian democracy offers just as many negative lessons as positive ones, and topics like the popular vote, the dangers of state payments to individual citizens, the naturally acquisitive foreign policy of democratic governments, and the place of religion in democracy all come up for discussion and criticism. Samons has written an original and very provocative book."—James Sickinger, author of Public Records and Archives in Classical Athens "Professor Samons' lively and challenging account of ancient Athens raises important questions about democracy, ancient and modern. It will surely arouse keen interest and debate."—Donald Kagan, author of The Peloponnesian War "In this elegantly written, carefully researched, and perceptive book, Samons presents a penetrating analysis of ancient Athenian democracy's dark sides. His book is as much about the errors and weaknesses of our own political system as it is about those of ancient Athens. Whether or not we agree with his critique and conclusions, this book is not merely thought-provoking: it is annoyingly discomforting, forcing us to re-examine firm beliefs and to discard easy solutions."—Kurt A. Raaflaub, author of Discovery of Freedom in Ancient Greece "In this marvelously unfashionable book, Samons debunks much of what passes in the current-day academy as scholarship on classical Athens, demonstrating that it is an ideologically-driven apology for a radically defective form of government. In the process, he casts light on the perspicacity of America's founding fathers and on the unthinking populism that threatens in our own day to ruin their legacy."—Paul A. Rahe, author of Republics Ancient and Modern: Classical Republicanism and the American Revolution "We are in the greatest age of democracy since antiquity and in the most need of guidance about the wisdom of government by majority vote. Precisely for that reason Professor Samons offers a bold and unbridled look at the nature and history of democracies, ancient and modern. He reminds us that we are capable of doing as much evil as good when constitutional protections and republican oversight are not there to moderate the instant desires of the majority. This is an engaging, provocative, and timely study of ancient Athens and modern America that should serve as a cautionary reminder to both romantic scholars and zealous diplomats."—Victor Davis Hanson, author of The Other Greeks

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328

Publisher

Univ of California Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0520251687

ISBN 13

9780520251687

Empire of the Owl

Athenian Imperial Finance

By: Loren J. Samons

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Empire of the Owl

Athenian Imperial Finance

By: Loren J. Samons

A thorough and authoritative study of Athenian finance both before and during the Peloponnesian War. Loren Samons tackles the complexities of Athenian revenue and state expenditure, drawing on a range of literary and historical source material which survives in varying degrees of detail. Rents, taxes, tribute, fines, slave sales, fees and so forth formed the basis for state income which were then used to run the Athenian `machine', to pay various people for their services to the state and for beautifying their towns and cities.

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268

Publisher

Franz Steiner Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3515076646

ISBN 13

9783515076647

What’s Wrong with Democracy?

From Athenian Practice to American Worship

By: Loren J. Samons

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What’s Wrong with Democracy?

From Athenian Practice to American Worship

By: Loren J. Samons

In this daring reassessment of classical Athenian democracy & its significance for the United States today, Samons firstly shows why the Athenian model was distrusted by America's founding father, before considering how the concept of democracy has now become an object of popular veneration.

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328

Publisher

Univ of California Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0520236602

ISBN 13

9780520236608

Pericles and the Conquest of History

A Political Biography

By: Loren J. Samons, II

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Pericles and the Conquest of History

A Political Biography

By: Loren J. Samons, II

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347

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1316462625

ISBN 13

9781316462621

Pericles and the Conquest of History

A Political Biography

By: Samons, II (Loren J.)

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Pericles and the Conquest of History

A Political Biography

By: Samons, II (Loren J.)

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ISBN 10

1316274217

ISBN 13

9781316274217

Book's by Loren J. Samons

Pericles and the Conquest of History

Pericles and the Conquest of History

What's Wrong with Democracy?

What's Wrong with Democracy?

Empire of the Owl

Empire of the Owl

What’s Wrong with Democracy?

What’s Wrong with Democracy?

Pericles and the Conquest of History

Pericles and the Conquest of History

Pericles and the Conquest of History

Pericles and the Conquest of History

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