The Enigmatic Enemy. Greek perceptions of and political interaction with the Persian Empire from 404 to 380 BC.

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with the political interaction between the major Greek states (chiefly Athens and Sparta) on the one hand, and the Persian Empire on the other hand. Many scholars have researched the Greek perceptions of the Persians, either by closely scrutinizing a particular Greek source or through the analysis of material remains. By using multiple sources and paying close attention to the political ramifications of such perceptions, the present thesis offers a different view. It is argued that the anti-Persian stance was indeed the most natural for the Greek states, conditioned as they were by the traditional Persian stigmatization that stemmed from the Persian Wars. Political pragmatism proved at times stronger as the various Greeks states allied themselves with Persia when it suited their interest, but they abandoned such alliances immediately when the opportunity presented itself, despite the clamours of the Panhellenists who also take centerstage in this thesis.