Eleanor Finch
The Athenian Constitution, also called the Constitution of the Athenians, is a work by Aristotle or one of his students. It describes the constitution of Athens and is the only one of 158 Greek state constitutions compiled by Aristotle to survive intact. The Athenian Constitution was written no earlier than 328 BC and no later than 322 BC. It is preserved on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis, published in 1891 and now in the British Library.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | Between 328 and 322 BC |
| Author | Aristotle or one of his students |
| Other names | Constitution of the Athenians, Athenaion politeia |
| Surviving copy | Preserved on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis, now in the British Library |
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What You'll Learn
- The Athenian Constitution was written between 328 and 322 BC
- The Athenian Constitution was written by Aristotle or one of his students
- The Athenian Constitution is the only one of Aristotle's constitutions to survive intact
- The Athenian Constitution was preserved on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis
- The Athenian Constitution is not a part of the Corpus Aristotelicum
The Athenian Constitution was written between 328 and 322 BC
The Athenian Constitution, also called the Constitution of the Athenians, was written between 328 and 322 BC. It is a work by Aristotle or one of his students, and describes the constitution of Athens. It is preserved on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis, published in 1891 and now in the British Library. A small part of the work also survives on two leaves of a papyrus codex, discovered in the Fayum in 1879 and now in the papyrus collection of the Egyptian Museum of Berlin. The Aristotelian text is unique because it is not a part of the Corpus Aristotelicum as preserved through medieval manuscripts.
The Athenian Constitution is the only one of 158 Greek state constitutions compiled by Aristotle to survive intact. Modern scholars dispute how much of the authorship of these constitutions can be attributed to Aristotle personally, but agree that he was at least assisted by his students. The Athenian Constitution is not the first constitution of Athens, as there were several earlier constitutional and legal codes under which Athens was governed, including the Draconian constitution, the Solonian constitution, and the Areopagite constitution.
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The Athenian Constitution was written by Aristotle or one of his students
The Athenian Constitution is a treatise on the Athenian constitution. It is one of two ancient treatises on the subject of the government of Athens. The other is the Constitution of the Athenians (Pseudo-Xenophon), a treatise preserved under the name of Xenophon, though not actually by him.
According to ancient sources, Aristotle compiled constitutions of 158 Greek states, of which the Constitution of the Athenians is the only one to survive intact. Modern scholars dispute how much of the authorship of these constitutions can be attributed to Aristotle personally; he at least would have been assisted by his students. Modern scholars continue discussing the many constitutions Aristotle compiled, which include not only Greek, but also non-Greek states. Speculations continue to arise that all the constitutions couldn't have been written by a singular person because many of the descriptions would have been brief and superficial. Therefore, there are many deliberations to this day if Aristotle in reality wrote all 158 constitutions.
Athens, however, was a particularly important state, and where Aristotle was living at the time; therefore it is plausible that, even if students composed the others, Aristotle composed that one himself as a model for the rest. On the other hand, a number of prominent scholars doubt that it was written by Aristotle. If it is a genuine writing of Aristotle, then it is of particular significance, because it is the only one of his extant writings that was actually intended for publication. Because it purports to supply so much contemporary information previously unknown or unreliable, modern historians have claimed that "the discovery of this treatise constitutes almost a new epoch in Greek historical study".
Based on internal evidence, scholars conclude that the Athenian Constitution was written no earlier than 328 BC and no later than 322 BC. Furthermore, that Aristotle does not mention quinqueremes despite mentioning triremes and quadriremes suggests that it was written no later than 325 BC, when quinqueremes are first recorded in the Athenian Navy.
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The Athenian Constitution is the only one of Aristotle's constitutions to survive intact
The Athenian Constitution, also known as the Constitution of the Athenians, is a work by Aristotle or one of his students. It describes the constitution of Athens and is preserved on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis, published in 1891 and now in the British Library. A small part of the work also survives on two leaves of a papyrus codex, discovered in the Fayum in 1879 and now in the papyrus collection of the Egyptian Museum of Berlin. The Athenian Constitution is the only one of Aristotle's constitutions to survive intact.
According to ancient sources, Aristotle compiled constitutions of 158 Greek states. Modern scholars dispute how much of the authorship of these constitutions can be attributed to Aristotle personally, but it is believed that he was at least assisted by his students. The Athenian Constitution is unique because it is not a part of the Corpus Aristotelicum as preserved through medieval manuscripts.
Based on internal evidence, scholars conclude that the Athenian Constitution was written no earlier than 328 BC and no later than 322 BC. For example, in chapter 54, Aristotle relates that the Festival of Hephaestus was "instituted during the archonship of Cephisophon", which corresponds to 329 BC. In chapter 62, Aristotle indicates that, at the time he was writing, Athens was still sending officials to Samos. After 322 BC, Samos was no longer under Athenian control. Additionally, the fact that Aristotle does not mention quinqueremes despite mentioning triremes and quadriremes suggests that the work was written no later than 325 BC, when quinqueremes are first recorded in the Athenian Navy.
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The Athenian Constitution was preserved on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis
The Athenian Constitution, also known as the Constitution of the Athenians, is a work by Aristotle or one of his students. It describes the constitution of Athens and is the only one of Aristotle's constitutions of 158 Greek states to survive intact. It was preserved on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis, published in 1891 and now in the British Library. A small part of the work also survives on two leaves of a papyrus codex, discovered in the Fayum in 1879 and now in the papyrus collection of the Egyptian Museum of Berlin. The Aristotelian text is unique because it is not a part of the Corpus Aristotelicum as preserved through medieval manuscripts.
The Athenian Constitution is a treatise on the government of Athens. It is one of two ancient treatises on this subject, the other being the Constitution of the Athenians (Pseudo-Xenophon), which was preserved under the name of Xenophon, though not actually by him. The Athenian Constitution is unique in that it is the only surviving intact constitution of 158 Greek states compiled by Aristotle.
The Athenian Constitution was written no earlier than 328 BC and no later than 322 BC. This is based on internal evidence, such as Aristotle's reference to the Festival of Hephaestus being "instituted during the archonship of Cephisophon", which corresponds to 329 BC, and the fact that Athens was still sending officials to Samos, which was no longer under Athenian control after 322 BC. Additionally, the fact that Aristotle does not mention quinqueremes, despite mentioning triremes and quadriremes, suggests that the work was written no later than 325 BC, when quinqueremes were first recorded in the Athenian Navy.
The Athenian Constitution is a significant work in the history of political thought and provides valuable insights into the government of Athens during the time of Aristotle. It is a testament to the enduring legacy of Aristotle's work and the importance of preserving ancient texts for future generations to study and learn from. The preservation of the Athenian Constitution on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis is a testament to the resilience and importance of this ancient text.
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The Athenian Constitution is not a part of the Corpus Aristotelicum
The Athenian Constitution is a work by Aristotle or one of his students. It describes the constitution of Athens and is preserved on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis, published in 1891 and now in the British Library. A small part of the work also survives on two leaves of a papyrus codex, discovered in the Fayum in 1879 and now in the Egyptian Museum of Berlin. The Athenian Constitution is not a part of the Corpus Aristotelicum as preserved through medieval manuscripts.
The Athenian Constitution is the only one of 158 Greek constitutions compiled by Aristotle to survive intact. Modern scholars dispute how much of the authorship of these constitutions can be attributed to Aristotle personally, but it is generally agreed that he would have been assisted by his students. The Athenian Constitution is dated to between 328 and 322 BC, based on internal evidence. For example, in chapter 54, Aristotle relates that the Festival of Hephaestus was "instituted during the archonship of Cephisophon", which corresponds to 329 BC. In chapter 62, he indicates that Athens was still sending officials to Samos, which it stopped doing after 322 BC. The fact that Aristotle does not mention quinqueremes also suggests that the work was written no later than 325 BC, when they were first recorded in the Athenian Navy.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the Athenian Constitution was written between 328 and 322 BC. The Draconian Constitution, the code of laws in Athens written by Draco in the last quarter of the seventh century BC, came first.
The Athenian Constitution was written by Aristotle or one of his students.
The Athenian Constitution describes the constitution of Athens.
The Athenian Constitution is preserved on a papyrus roll from Hermopolis, published in 1891 and now in the British Library. A small part of the work also survives on two leaves of a papyrus codex, discovered in the Fayum in 1879 and now in the papyrus collection of the Egyptian Museum of Berlin.
According to ancient sources, Aristotle compiled constitutions of 158 Greek states, of which the Constitution of the Athenians is the only one to survive intact.
