This volume contains an introduction, new edition of the Greek text, English translation, and detailed linguistic and historical commentary of Apollodoros' speech "Against Neaira" (4th century BC). The introduction provides a comprehensive account of the historical and legal background, authorship, style, technique, manuscripts and textual tradition of the speech, and a radically new interpretation of the case against Neaira. The edition of the Greek text is based on independent collations of manuscripts written before the 14th century, bringing a new sensitivity to the stylistic preferences...

The study of law is the study of the society which created it. Societies create laws in order to safeguard values which are important to them, and this is why the study of the laws of a society sheds light upon the ideals and values which generated them. In democratic Athens the law was both a product of democracy and a force for safeguarding democratic practices. In recent years books have been written on Athenian law, and on Athenian society, but never a monograph fully investigating the links between the two in all important aspects of public and private life. This study investigates the...