Beyond the Second Sophistic: Adventures in Greek Postclassicism.

XIII, 278 p. From the library of Prof. Wolfgang Haase, long-time editor of ANRW and the International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT). - Jacket and binding slightly rubbed, otherwise very good. / Schutzumschlag und Einband leicht berieben, sonst sehr gut. - The “Second Sophistic” traditionally refers to a period at the height of the Roman Empire’s power that witnessed a flourishing of Greek rhetoric and oratory, which since the nineteenth century has often been viewed as a defense of Hellenic civilization against the domination of Rome. This book proposes a very different model. Covering popidar fiction, poetry, and Greco-Jewish material, it argues for a rich, dynamic, and diverse culture that cannot be reduced to a simple model of continuity. Shining new light on a series of playful, imaginative texts that are left out of the traditional accounts of Greek literature, Whitmarsh models a more adventurous, exploratory approach to later Greek culture. Beyond the Second Sophistic offers not only a new way of looking at Greek literature from 300 b.c.e. onward but also a challenge to the Eurocentric, aristocratic constructions placed on the Greek heritage. Accessible and lively, it will appeal to scholars and students of Greek literature and culture, Hellenistic Judaism, world literature, and cultural theory. - Tim Whitmarsh is Professor of Ancient Literatures, Corpus Christi College, Oxford University. ISBN 9780520276819