Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
9-2016
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Program
Classics
Advisor
Joel Lidov
Committee Members
Joseph Day
Dee Clayman
Jennifer Roberts
Subject Categories
Classics
Keywords
Alkmeonidai Alcmaeonidai Alkmaionidai Inscriptions Monuments Epigram Greek History Prosopography
Abstract
Scattered in our ancient historical sources—Herodotus, Thucydides, the Athenaion Politeia—is the story of the Alkmeonidai; a wealthy, powerful, politically active, and frequently exiled Athenian family, in the sixth and fifth centuries BCE. They also are mentioned in many literary works, such as Pindar, Aristophanes, Andocides, Isocrates, and Plutarch with more information provided by the ancient commentaries on these texts. But as is often the case, what we learn from written sources is incomplete and sometimes contradictory. However, the Alkmeonidai left many other traces of themselves, in dedications, public inscriptions, the temple at Delphi, and their names are also found on vases and voting tokens. In this dissertation I aim first and foremost to compile all the material evidence. My catalogue entries include full bibliography, and in many cases, I have reexamined the inscriptions or objects and the original reports on them, in order to present new editions of the material. My ultimate aim is to be able to assess the actual significance of the material evidence, and to evaluate the ways in which the Alkmeonidai exercised political power, in particular through the instrument of religious dedications, by making use of the disciplines of epigraphic, archeological, prosopographic, and literary scholarship.
Recommended Citation
Pearson, Cameron G., "The Context of Alkmeonid Inscriptions and Monuments: A Catalogue of Material and Literary Evidence for the Alkmeonidai" (2016). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1606