Beyond and Below the Polis

The study of Greek history in the last few decades has been dominated by the concept of the polis. It shows that the concept of network can allow to move beyond the orthodox model of writing Greek history. The concept of network enables to explore two levels apart from the polis; the level of social, economic, political, and cultural interaction the polis, and the level beyond. Networks are processes that connect people and places in order to move goods, people and ideas/technologies. The advantage of the concept of koinOnia is its ability to overcome static polarities and divisions, such as those between masters and slaves, citizens and metics, men and women, Greeks and barbarians. Composed of a multitude of different, fragmented polities scattered all over the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, the Greek 'world' was created and fostered by the vast numbers of people in movement, namely, sailors, traders, soldiers, artists, physicians, poets, and intellectuals

Classical Antiquity Studies · History