The polis, its coinage and its historians
This thesis sets out to explore whether the Greeks had a concept of economics and whether it is appropriate to talk about the polis economy. These issues are explored, first by studying Greek coinage and economic practices related to polis public finance and, second, by studying Greek historians' understanding of economics. In the latter case, we consider Herodotus' treatment of the economics of the Persian Wars as well as Thucydides' and Xenophon's treatment of the economics of the Peloponnesian War. From the study of economics in Greek historiography, it is maintained that Herodotus, Thucydides and Xenophon were not only interested in economics but also understood war economics. This is due to the dominance of naval warfare especially in the last years of the Peloponnesian War, which resulted in the monetization of the polis economy. However, we claim that the above historians in varying degrees failed to encapsulate the ramifications of the polis economy and its complexity, because there is a disparity between the reality of the polis economy and its interpretation by the historians. Thus any reconstruction of the polis economy and of the rationale for economic practices based on fifth century Greek historiography
Tsagouria, P.
The polis, its coinage and its historians. This thesis sets out to explore whether the Greeks had a concept of economics and whether it is appropriate to talk about the polis economy. These issues are explored, first by studying Greek coinage and economic practices related to polis public finance and, second, by studying Greek historians' understanding of economics. In the latter case, we consider Herodotus' treatment of the economics of the Persian Wars as well as Thucydides' and Xenophon's treatment of the economics of the Peloponnesian War. From the study of economics in Greek historiography, it is maintained that Herodotus, Thucydides and Xenophon were not only interested in economics but also understood war economics. This is due to the dominance of naval warfare especially in the last years of the Peloponnesian War, which resulted in the monetization of the polis economy. However, we claim that the above historians in varying degrees failed to encapsulate the ramifications of the polis economy and its complexity, because there is a disparity between the reality of the polis economy and its interpretation by the historians. Thus any reconstruction of the polis economy and of the rationale for economic practices based on fifth century Greek historiography
polis coinage historian set_explore whether greeks concept economics whether appropriate talk polis economy issue explore first study greek coinage economic practice relate polis public finance second study greek historian economics latter_case consider herodotus treatment economics persian_wars well thucydides xenophon treatment economics peloponnesian_war study economics greek historiography maintain herodotus thucydides xenophon interested economics also understand war economics due dominance naval warfare especially peloponnesian_war result monetization polis economy however claim historian vary_degree fail encapsulate ramification polis economy complexity disparity reality polis economy interpretation historian thus reconstruction polis economy rationale economic practice base greek historiography