History of the Classical World - Book Project

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Martin Jehne
• Subject Area: Ancient History
• Term: from 2016 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 289663110

My aim is to write a comprehensive history of the classical world ranging from ca. 800 BC to ca. 650 AD. While this timeframe and the emphasis on Greco-Roman culture is itself not unconventional, my line of argumentation offers a new approach to the ancient world by focussing on the unusual extent of participation not only within the Homeric Society, the Athenian Democracy or the Roman Republic, but also in the Roman Empire, where imperial rule was characterized by a broad diversity of participatory rituals. Using participation as a key for understanding the Classical world, my study pays tribute to the fact that most decisions were made in public and works with two analytical tools: the limits of discourse and the rhetoric of the public spirit. Looking at forms of communication in the public sphere, for example, provides us with far better insights into the political culture as the focus on political rights alone. With the distinction between what-can-be-said (das Sagbare) and what-can-be-done (das Machbare), one can highlight to what extent firstly rhetoric and then, secondly, actions were shaped and indeed limited by the rules of the discourse, which made it impossible to announce anything in public without claiming to do so in the interest of all. And notwithstanding that these allusions to the common good often only camouflaged personal and partisan interests, it is the repercussion of this rhetorical setting which mattered more than is commonly taken into account: expectations shaped what could be said, and what was said limited what could be done. While my focus on participation certainly does not mean to marginalize other important aspects, it works well as a leitmotiv, allowing me to arrange the otherwise vast material for understanding the ancient world while at the same time shedding new light on a crucial aspect for both ancient and modern times. The 12 months leave from my duties as a professor, which is the central part of the application, is sought in order to allow for the time needed to write the major part of the book.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants