The Spear, the Scroll, and the Pebble: How the Greek City-State Developed as a Male Warrior-Citizen Collective

This book explores the formation of Greek city-states and their unique society, emphasizing the development of a citizen-militia military system, collective political systems, and mass literacy. It argues that these factors contributed to the remarkable and influential culture of the classical Greeks.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 12 January 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This captivating book presents a compelling and groundbreaking argument for understanding the origins and development of the Greek city-states, including their distinctive society and culture. After delving into the early formation of city-states and the economic foundations of city-state society, three pivotal chapters explore the unique characteristics that shaped the Greek civilization. The spear, scroll, and pebble serve as the book's central themes, encapsulating its core ideas.

The Spear: The city-state Greeks pioneered a citizen-militia military system, which accorded equal importance to each citizen-warrior. This empowerment led the citizen-warriors to demand political rights, fostering a sense of civic engagement.

The Pebble: The growth of collective political systems, including oligarchy and democracy, resulted in thousands of citizens becoming the sovereign element of the state. Through communal debate and voting, these citizens made political decisions that shaped their society.

The Scroll: To enable these systems to function effectively, a shared information base was necessary. To achieve this, public notices of laws, proposed policies, public meeting agendas, and various other forms of information were established. Access to this information required literacy, and the male city-state Greeks emerged as the world's first known mass literate society.

Billows meticulously examines the spread of schools and literacy throughout the Greek world, demonstrating that the male city-state Greeks formed the world's first-known mass literate society. He concludes by emphasizing that the mass-literate nature of Greek city-state society is the key factor behind the remarkable and influential culture that the classical Greeks produced.

This insightful book offers a profound exploration of the origins and evolution of the Greek city-states, shedding light on the unique factors that contributed to their remarkable society and culture. Its compelling argument and rich historical analysis make it a valuable resource for scholars and enthusiasts alike.

Weight: 580g
Dimension: 164 x 241 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350289208