Ancient Cities: Studies on Greek and Roman Religion, Law, and Institutions (Library of the Centuries)

Author: (French) Gustave Guillaud, translated by Wu Xiaoguan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The purpose of this book is to demonstrate the principles and regulations that governed Greek and Roman societies. Since the Greeks and Romans were two branches of the same nation, speaking two dialects of the same language, sharing the same political systems and government principles, and experiencing a series of similar revolutions, we study them together. We will strive to clearly explain in this book the main and essential differences between these ancient peoples and modern society. Our education system makes us familiar with the Greeks and Romans from a young age and accustomed to constantly comparing them with themselves, judging their history with our own experiences, and explaining our revolutions with their experiences. The legacy we have inherited from them makes us believe that we are very similar to them. It is difficult to see them as foreigners, and we almost always see ourselves in them. This has led to many mistakes. When we view them through the lens of our own time and facts, we are bound to misunderstand the ancients. A classic work on the study of ancient Greek and Roman society, this book emphasizes the significant influence of early religion on the organizational structure of Greek and Roman societies. The author argues that the formation of Greek and Roman urban societies was based on the irreconcilable independence of the beliefs of each state. Later, this pluralistic belief gradually gave way to a single belief, and the city-state system declined, being replaced by the empire.