Le philosophe, le roi, le tyran

The contributions collected in this volume reflect the research undertaken within the Collegium Politicum, a European academic network dedicated to ancient political thought and its tradition.

This book shows how Greek and Roman political theory has been nurtured by views and arguments on kingship and tyranny, which in turn have greatly influenced the political thought of the Renaissance and modern times. The analysis of the paradigms and characters of the king and the tyrant has been a decisive element in the formation, in Fourth-Century Athens, of new theories of constitution and power.

Whether reproving tyrannical excesses or hoping for the advent of a king both wise and powerful, Greek philosophers laid by their writings the foundations of European political thought.