Damon Cynthia, Pieper Christoph (eds.) Eris vs. Aemulatio: Valuing Competition in Classical Antiquity

Brill, 2018. — 384 p. — (Mnemosyne, Supplements 423).Competition is everywhere in antiquity. It took many forms: the upper class competed with their peers and with historical and mythological predecessors; artists of all kinds emulated generic models and past masterpieces; philosophers and their schools vied with one another to give the best interpretation of the world; architects and doctors tried to outdo their fellow craftsmen. Discord and conflict resulted, but so did innovation, social cohesion, and political stability. In Hesiod's view Eris was not one entity but two, the one a "grievous goddess", the other an "aid to men". Eris vs. Aemulatio examines the functioning and effect of competition in ancient society, in both its productive and destructive aspects.Cynthia Damon, Ph.D. (1990), Stanford University, is Professor of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Among her publications are a critical edition of Caesar’s Civil War and an English translation of Tacitus’ Annals.Christoph Pieper, Ph.D. (2008), Bonn University, is University Lecturer of Latin at Leiden University. Among his publications are a monograph on the 15th century-poet Cristoforo Landino and a volume on the value of antiquity in antiquity (in the Penn Leiden Colloquia-series).