Written Texts and the Rise of Literate Culture in Ancient Greece

This book considers how the dissemination of texts in ancient Greece led to new forms of expression.

Preface; Contributors; Introduction: why written texts? Harvey Yunis; 1. From letters to literature: reading the 'song culture' of classical Greece Andrew Ford; 2. Writing religion: inscribed texts, ritual authority and the religious discourse of the Polis Albert Henrichs; 3. Letters of the law: written texts in archaic Greek law Michael Gagarin; 4. Writing, law and legal practice in the Athenian courts David Cohen; 5. Literacy and the charlatan in ancient Greek medicine Lesley Dean-Jones; 6. Literacy in Greek and Chinese science: some comparative issues Geoffrey Lloyd; 7. Writing philosophy: prose and poetry from Thales to Plato Charles H. Kahn; 8. Prose performance texts: Epideixis and written publication in the late fifth and early fourth centuries Rosalind Thomas; 9. Writing for reading: Thucydides, Plato and the emergence of the critical reader Harvey Yunis; 10. Reflecting on writing and culture: Theocritus and the style of cultural change Richard Hunter; Bibliography; Index.