Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Esmaeil Sangari ¹
• Farzad Rafieifar ²

¹ Department of History and Iranology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

² Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Department of History and Iranology, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Plato in the Menexenus dialogue describes a conversation between Socrates and a young Athenian citizen, named Menexenus . In this dialogue, Socrates narrates a funeral speech in praise of Athenian warriors that killed in the battle and attributes it to Aspasia, lover of Pericles, prominent Athenian politician. In this speech, the courage and heroic actions of Athenian warriors in several wars against the Achaemenid forces are extolled as a golden chapter in the history of this city-state. The contents of Aspasia's speech, above all, an accepted and central narrative regarding the Greco- Persian wars one that was particularly endorsed by Athenian orators and politicians. In other words, it is clear according to the available evidence that this speech was composed following the common structure of funeral orations for Athenian soldiers, reflects the Athenian-approved perspective on Greek military engagements with the Achaemenid forces. therefore, this text presents a unique portrayal and specific to its time and place, of the military and political structure of the Achaemenid Empire as perceived by the people of Athens during its existence. This study uses a descriptive- analytical methodology to examine facts of this Athenian point of views, offering a critical interpretation of the accepted image of the Achaemenid Empire in the political thought of Athenian contemporaries with other available sources."

Keywords

• Plato
• Socratic Dialogues
• Menexenus
• Greco- Persian Wars
• Athens

Main Subjects

• History