The Ancient City: A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome
Description
A comprehensive exploration of the foundational role of religion in shaping the social, legal, and political structures of ancient Greece and Rome.
Topics
Ancient religion, Greek and Roman institutions, family structure, ancient law, social evolution
Detailed Description
'The Ancient City' (1864) by Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges represents a watershed moment in the study of classical antiquity. Originally published in French as 'La Cité antique,' this pioneering work fundamentally changed scholarly understanding of ancient Greek and Roman societies by identifying religion as the central organizing principle of their social, legal, and political structures. With methodical precision, de Coulanges demonstrates how ancient beliefsu2014particularly the worship of ancestors and the maintenance of the sacred household fireu2014formed the foundation upon which all other aspects of classical civilization were built. The work traces the evolution of social and political institutions from their origins in family worship through the development of larger social structures (phratries, tribes, and ultimately the city-state itself), revealing how religious concepts determined everything from property rights and inheritance laws to citizenship requirements and governmental authority. What distinguishes de Coulanges's approach is his insistence on understanding ancient societies on their own terms rather than through the lens of modern assumptions. He meticulously examines primary sources to reconstruct the ancient mindset, demonstrating how profoundly different it was from contemporary thinking. His analysis reveals that concepts we take for granted todayu2014such as individual liberty or the separation of religion and stateu2014were utterly foreign to the ancient Greeks and Romans, for whom religion permeated every aspect of public and private life. The book also traces the gradual transformations that occurred in these societies, documenting how changes in religious belief eventually led to corresponding changes in social and political organization. De Coulanges shows how the emergence of new religious concepts, particularly in philosophical thought, ultimately undermined the foundations of the city-state, preparing the way for more universal forms of political organization. Though written over 150 years ago, 'The Ancient City' continues to influence classical scholarship, anthropology, and political theory through its compelling demonstration of how religious beliefs fundamentally shape social institutions. Its methodological innovationu2014treating ancient religion not as mere superstition but as a coherent system that structured all aspects of lifeu2014established a new standard for historical analysis that remains relevant in contemporary research.
Keywords
Ancient City, Fustel de Coulanges, Greek history, Roman history, ancient religion, Greek institutions, Roman institutions, family religion, ancestor worship, sacred fire, ancient law, social structure, political systems, city-state, religious beliefs, Greek mythology, Roman mythology, patricians, plebeians, slavery, citizenship, marriage rites, funeral rites, property rights, inheritance laws, domestic religion, city gods, Olympian gods, classical antiquity, comparative history
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