History of Western Political Thought (Volume 1: Ancient Greece and Rome)

Author: Xu Datong, Chief Editor; Wang Le Li, Volume Editor
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: This volume covers political thought during the periods of ancient Greece and Rome, spanning approximately from 800 BC to 476 AD. Key figures include Protagoras, Antiphon, Democritus, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Zeno, Chrysippus, Antisthenes, Diogenes, Polybius, Panetius, Poseidon, Lucretius, Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Justinian, etc. The period of ancient Greece and Rome provided later generations with a rich intellectual heritage, particularly diverse political views, unique perspectives on observing politics, and fundamental bases for explaining politics. From the theocratic political view, the natural political view, the anthropocentric political view to the ethical political view, it forms a general thread. Plato's Republic and Aristotle's systematic political science mark the peak of ancient Greek political thought. During the Hellenistic period, political thought showed a trend of diversification, primarily with the emergence of the opposition between the Epicureans and the Stoics. Roman thinkers continued the thinking patterns of their predecessors while also creating their own republican thought, ultimately leading political thought towards a dualism of divine and human affairs.