How did ancient Greeks obtain justice during a century known for bloodshed and turbulence? And how did the Athenians reconcile such senseless violence with their society's high values of justice and truth? Two ancient Athenian murder trials answer these questions and show how the city’s so-called Golden Age was just as ruthless as the rest of ancient history.

Sources:

Antiphon.  

Against the Stepmother For Poisoning. Perseus Digital Library. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0020&redirect=true

On the Murder of Herodes. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0020%3Aspeech%3D5

Dobson, J.F. The Greek Orators (London: Clarendon Press, 1919).

Freeman, Kathleen. The Murder of Herodes: And Other Trials From The Athenian Law Courts. (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 1991).

Gagarin, Michael. “Athenian Homicide Law: Case Studies.” Demos. March 27, 2003. https://www.stoa.org/demos/article_homicide@page=3&greekEncoding=UnicodeC.html

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“Law and Courts in Ancient Athens: A Brief Overview.” The Kosmos (Harvard). September 20, 2018. https://kosmossociety.chs.harvard.edu/law-and-courts-in-ancient-athens-a-brief-overview/

Plutarch and Fowler, H.N. Trans. Lives of the Ten Orators. Attalus.org. 1936. http://attalus.org/translate/orators1.html

Spencer, McDaniel. “Ancient Greek Murder Mysteries.” Tales of Times Forgotten. October 2, 2019. https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2019/10/02/ancient-greek-murder-mysteries/

Music: Dellasera by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

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