Morality and Behaviour in Democratic Athens: A Social History by Gabriel Herman

Abstract

BOOK REVIEWS Morality and Behaviour in Democratic Athens: A Social History. By GABRIEL HERMAN. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Pp. 472. Cloth, $110.00. 978-0-521-85021-6. Rather than exploring awide range ofmoral attitudes inClassical Athens, inMorality and Behaviour inDemocratic Athens Gabriel Her man (H.) seeks to understand Classical Athenian morality by delving deeply into one central dimension: how people behave inmoments of conflict and cooperation. In doing so, H. presents a controversial re-conception of the underlying principles that shaped democratic Athenian society. Instead of seeing Classical Athens as essentially agonistic, he argues that altruism was the driving force, resulting in an extraordinary approach to morality in democratic Athens, "perhaps in objective terms surpassing the moral systems of the peoples, cities and nations that subsequently created themoral code of thewest" (p. 414). H. believes that thismoral code accounts for the achievements ofClassical Athens. In the long-standing dispute over how to characterize the nature of Classical Athens, H. falls squarely in the approach that empha sizes "the Athenian miracle," as he demonstrates in a useful presen tation of the oscillations throughout the last three centuries between "negative" and "positive" views ofAthenian democracy and moral ity. In particular, H. challenges the position that Athenians in the Classsical period were fundamentally violent and driven by concern for shame and honor, characteristics that are central to a feuding so ciety and have come to be described as "Mediterranean." H. takes particular aim at David Cohen's argument that in Classical Athens the law-courts became the venue for expressing feuding behavior.1 Through comparison with cultures that exhibit classic features of feuding societies, and by observing that such characteristics are al ways attributed to the opponent in law-court speeches, H. effectively highlights key problems with viewing Classical Athens in thisway, although in a tone that is at times overly antagonistic and dismissive. The characterization of Classical Athens H. offers will certainly spur further debate. H. argues that in the Classical period Athens developed its own advanced set ofmorals, a code of behavior inex tricably intertwined with its democratic form of government. This code demanded non-violence and personal restraint in the face of 1 Law, Violence and Community inClassical Athens (Cambridge, 1995). 366 BOOK REVIEWS adversity, as well as a high level of commitment to the welfare of society as whole. H. believes that Classical Athens differed signifi cantly from other Greek poleis in achieving an exceptional level of prosperity, stability and collaboration among its citizens. H. devotes considerable space to a discussion ofmethodology, a major focus of Chapters 1-4 but also a recurring element throughout the book. In addition to historical methods and evidence, various behavioral and social sciences (especially psychology), as well as moral philosophy and even game-theory, inform H/s approach. He rejects the dicta that words alone reveal attitudes and that expres sions ofmoral precepts predict behavior, in favor of examining be havior itself as a more reliable indicator of attitudes and morals. This principle provides the framework forH/s argument: historical ac tions reveal that interpersonal relations inClassical Athenian society best fit the category of "turning the other cheek," (p. 10) as opposed to "a head for an eye" (p. 2) or "an eye for an eye" (the latter also labeled "tit for tat," (p. 8) while "turning the other cheek" is referred to as "tit for two tats" (p. 402)). H/s primary evidence is predominantly textual?history and most especially rhetoric?although the book is also well illustrated with images from archaeology and art.H. rules out the use of drama and philosophy as genres that, in his view, do not reveal behavior. H. argues reasonably that Athenian law-court speeches are valid sources of evidence for morality because the presentation of events is designed to appeal to the values of jurors. However, his position that these "desirable patterns of conduct" (p. 154) tally well with actual Athenian behavior ismore questionable due to the limited evidence available for corrob oration, as he acknowledges. InChapters 5-10, H. uses his focus on conflict and cooperation to consider Athenian law, politics, religion and economics, at times jux taposing these in surprising ways...