Review of: Alain Bresson (!), The Making of the Ancient Greek Economy (2016)

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It is a very good book, but one serious drawback is the lack of knowledge of the non-Greek world, which led to dubious conclusions as to the strength of the economy of the Greek city states. It is perhaps useful to read as well the preceding review by Joe Manning and G.J. Oliver of: Josiah Ober, The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece (Princeton 2015), Journal of Economic History 77/2 (2017) 599-601. The reviewers have the same criticism as I have: Ober did not study the economy of the non-Greek world, yet drew thus very debatable conclusions on the strength of esp. the Athenian economy in relation to other economies. I am sorry to say that it is still one of the weaknesses of classical studies. Classicist circle around in their much admired Greco-Roman world and refuse to learn from the studies of the world around. This is reflected in the classical education in most universities. Classicist will so finally dig their own graves.

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