Description: The so-called Golden Age of Athens, during and after the primacy of Pericles, was in fact a time of ruinous culture wars. Hubris shows how Pericles's circle used the Parthenon as a propaganda vehicle to flatter the Athenians, and how internal clashes hastened the rise of Alcibiades, the egocentric playboy who brought the city to defeat.
Brief description: David Stuttard is an independent scholar, theater director, and Fellow of Goodenough College, London. He has written numerous books about Ancient Greece, including Nemesis: Alcibiades and the Fall of Athens and Phoenix: A Father, a Son, and the Rise of Athens.
Review Quotes: A wonderful book. The rise and fall of Athens in the fifth century BC may seem familiar, but David Stuttard is a gifted storyteller and the tale is not told in the usual way. Hubris offers a cultural as well as a political and military history: Stuttard immerses us in Athenian life and shows how the Parthenon, along with other monuments and artistic productions, makes sense in the context of Athenian ambitions, hopes, and fears. Teeming with fascinating details and sparkling turns of phrase, Hubris is a sheer treat.--Robin Waterfield, author of Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens