The Aristocratic Temper of Greek Civilization

This is both a defence of the importance of aristocrats in Greek society and a reassessment of their social, cultural and political roles.

Professor Starr provides a concise portrait of the aristocratic way of life, the roots and nature of aristocrats' economic power, their patronage of the arts, and the influence they had on the way the Greeks visualized their gods.

A concluding chapter examines the lasting influence of the aristocratic ideal in later Western history.