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Articles on Ancient Athens

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America’s political leaders rushed the nation into war just weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, just like ancient Greeks and Romans did in response to similar traumatic events. David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images

At the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, ancient Greece and Rome can tell us a lot about the links between collective trauma and going to war

Joel Christensen, Brandeis University

Ancient Athenians and Romans also let shared mass tragedies propel justifications for going to war – even when it wasn’t clear what that violence would solve.
Increasingly, Americans seem to have irreconcilable differences over the pandemic, the economy – even the result of the 2020 election. Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Ancient Greek desire to resolve civil strife resonates today – but Athenian justice would be a ‘bitter pill’ in modern America

Joel Christensen, Brandeis University

Homer and Aeschylus turned to the divine to write their happy endings. But no gods are conspiring above the US, ready to swoop down and save humankind from itself.
In ancient Athens, only the richest people paid taxes on wealth, and they were happy to do it. Twospoonfuls via Wikimedia Commons

Only the richest ancient Athenians paid taxes – and they bragged about it

Thomas Martin, College of the Holy Cross

In ancient Athens, the richest people paid taxes to support what the residents considered the salvation of the city. These taxes earned them social and political clout more valuable than money.

Related Topics

  1. Ancient Greece
  2. Ancient myth
  3. Athens
  4. Greek tragedy
  5. Museums
  6. Post 9/11
  7. Religion and society
  8. Restorative justice

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