The ancient city; a study on the religion, laws and institutions of Greece and Rome

La Cité Antique is the best-known work by the nineteenth-century French historian Fustel de Coulanges (1830-1889), who pioneered an objective approach to the study of history, and the use of primary rather than secondary sources. This reissue is of the 1866 edition of the book, which was originally published in 1864 while the author was professor of history at Strasbourg. It explores the influence of religion and kinship on the development of the laws and political institutions of ancient Greek and Roman societies. Coulanges describes many aspects of Greek and Roman family law including marriage, divorce, adoption, property and inheritance. After giving an account of the social organisation of cities, their administration, and the rights and duties of citizens, he outlines the processes of institutional change and the evolving power relationships between the social classes. Finally he discusses the effects of Christianity in the political sphere.… (more)

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LibraryThing member PhaedraB

An interesting read, which helped me to understand not just ancient Greece and Rome, but also ancient concepts still discernible in our own culture. Willard Small's translation was eminently readable for this layperson, although there were still bits of Greek I didn't understand. I can figure out

the Latin, more or less, but deciphering the Greek alphabet is still above my skills. Recommended for those interested in antiquity and also for modern Pagans who might like the insights into their religious heritage.

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LibraryThing member Paul_S

I found the most valuable insight at the very beginning of the book - history writes itself into the culture. If you observe the culture you can infer some of it. And culture, barring extraordinary upheavals will change at the pace of a glacier. The rest of the book is also enthralling but somewhat

less spectacular than this initial confident outburst.

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LibraryThing member jcvogan1

Thesis is that ancient religion was ancestor worship with primogeniture. Christianity eventually overturned that.

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