Greco-Roman Governance and Public Policy (ARTS90045)

When it comes to contemporary concepts of governance and public policy in the Greco-Roman world, democracy, the legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome can hardly be underestimated. However, the relevance of this heritage is often a matter of the ‘well known but little understood’. This subject therefore endeavours to familiarize students with six key themes in Greco-Roman public policy. First, we will scrutinize the iconic polities of Sparta and Athens, including their more sinister sides, complemented with a look at economic and labour management in Classical Greece. Second, we will investigate the constitution of the Roman Republic (also in relation to such modern republics as the USA), electioneering, and public land management in the Roman Republic.