Free Speech and Democracy in Ancient Athens

Free speech in the ancient democracy was not a protected right but an expression of the freedom from hierarchy awe reverence and shame. That freedom was challenged by the consequences of the rejection of shame (aidos) which had served as a cohesive force within the polity. Through readings of Socrates''s trial Greek tragedy and comedy Thucydides''s History and Plato''s Protagoras this volume explores the paradoxical connections between free speech democracy shame and Socratic philosophy and Thucydidean history.