Abstract
What did ancient Greeks and Romans “see” when they saw? How did Graeco- Roman theories of seeing shape classical art, literature and philosophy? And how does such thinking relate to the “senses in antiquity” – as well as to more modern western theoretical frameworks?
Sight and the Ancient Senses examines the sense that Graeco-Roman antiquity theorized above all others. approaching vision from a range of different thematic angles, the book provides the first thorough introduction to concepts of “seeing” in ancient philosophy, science, literature, rhetoric and art. at the same time, this series of specially commissioned chapters relates ideas about sight to ancient debates about other modes of sensory perception.
The volume brings together a range of interdisciplinary perspectives to deliver a
broad and balanced coverage of its subject. Contributors explore the cultural, social
and intellectual backdrops that gave rise to ancient theories of seeing, from Archaic
Greece through to the advent of christianity in late antiquity. The book also reaches beyond its graeco-Roman framework, demonstrating how ancient ideas have influ- enced the longue durée of western sensory thinking. Richly illustrated throughout, including a section of colour plates, Sight and the Ancient Senses will be an invalu- able resource for students and scholars alike – among classicists, as well as within the emerging field of sensory history.
Sight and the Ancient Senses examines the sense that Graeco-Roman antiquity theorized above all others. approaching vision from a range of different thematic angles, the book provides the first thorough introduction to concepts of “seeing” in ancient philosophy, science, literature, rhetoric and art. at the same time, this series of specially commissioned chapters relates ideas about sight to ancient debates about other modes of sensory perception.
The volume brings together a range of interdisciplinary perspectives to deliver a
broad and balanced coverage of its subject. Contributors explore the cultural, social
and intellectual backdrops that gave rise to ancient theories of seeing, from Archaic
Greece through to the advent of christianity in late antiquity. The book also reaches beyond its graeco-Roman framework, demonstrating how ancient ideas have influ- enced the longue durée of western sensory thinking. Richly illustrated throughout, including a section of colour plates, Sight and the Ancient Senses will be an invalu- able resource for students and scholars alike – among classicists, as well as within the emerging field of sensory history.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | London |
| Publisher | Routledge |
| Number of pages | 336 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781315719238 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781844658664, 9781844658657 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2015 |