Creating Evidence for Corruption
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Christopher Degelmann
Abstract
In a primarily oral culture like democratic Athens, the spoken word weighed heavily. The popular assembly and the courts were the central political institutions of democracy; in both speakers tried to convince the majority of their opinion. In doing so, they also used the rhetorical topos of the “everybody knows” argument to substantiate their claims against doubt. This allowed rumors of corruption to be picked up and spread in the ekklesia or dikasterion, because the reputation counted for more than any evidence. In addition, it was possible to spread fictitious knowledge that underpinned one’s own argumentation. In almost every speech from classical Athens there is at least a variation of this rhetorical figure. On the other hand, practices can also be discovered that sought to disenchant this oratorical strategy. By examining these passages on corruption, the paper will shed light on both the political culture of Athenian democracy and its history of knowledge.
Abstract
In a primarily oral culture like democratic Athens, the spoken word weighed heavily. The popular assembly and the courts were the central political institutions of democracy; in both speakers tried to convince the majority of their opinion. In doing so, they also used the rhetorical topos of the “everybody knows” argument to substantiate their claims against doubt. This allowed rumors of corruption to be picked up and spread in the ekklesia or dikasterion, because the reputation counted for more than any evidence. In addition, it was possible to spread fictitious knowledge that underpinned one’s own argumentation. In almost every speech from classical Athens there is at least a variation of this rhetorical figure. On the other hand, practices can also be discovered that sought to disenchant this oratorical strategy. By examining these passages on corruption, the paper will shed light on both the political culture of Athenian democracy and its history of knowledge.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Preface VII
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Part 1: The Discourse(s) of and on Corruption
- Twisted Transfers as Corruption 1
- The Corrupted Speak 47
- Civil War and the Corruption of liberalitas in Tacitus’ Histories 65
- Irreversible Corruption 83
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Part 2: Corruption in Social Practice and Daily Life
- Creating Evidence for Corruption 111
- Corruption in Greco-Roman Egypt 129
- Ideas of Corruption in Roman Imperial Ports 145
- Suspect Inheritances 167
- Salvian and the Corrupted Church of Southern Gaul 199
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Part 3: The Politics and Diplomacy of Corruption
- Corruption and Anti-Corruption 223
- Beyond Crime 257
- Usurpation of (and Corruption Involving) the Right of Roman Citizenship in the Republic 287
- Balkan Promises 307
- Index 335
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Preface VII
-
Part 1: The Discourse(s) of and on Corruption
- Twisted Transfers as Corruption 1
- The Corrupted Speak 47
- Civil War and the Corruption of liberalitas in Tacitus’ Histories 65
- Irreversible Corruption 83
-
Part 2: Corruption in Social Practice and Daily Life
- Creating Evidence for Corruption 111
- Corruption in Greco-Roman Egypt 129
- Ideas of Corruption in Roman Imperial Ports 145
- Suspect Inheritances 167
- Salvian and the Corrupted Church of Southern Gaul 199
-
Part 3: The Politics and Diplomacy of Corruption
- Corruption and Anti-Corruption 223
- Beyond Crime 257
- Usurpation of (and Corruption Involving) the Right of Roman Citizenship in the Republic 287
- Balkan Promises 307
- Index 335
