Social Inequality and Difference in the Ancient Greek World: Bioarchaeological Perspectives

Exploring the relationship between health and inequality in the societies of ancient Greece



In
this volume, bioarchaeologists, osteologists, archaeologists, and
paleopathologists examine the ways social inequalities and differences
affected health and wellbeing in ancient Greece. Although the ancient
Greek civilization is often associated with the ideals of democracy and
social equality, the region was characterized by pervasive divisions.
Moving beyond elitism and idealization, this book focuses on
health-related disparities and difference.



Case studies
cover a wide temporal range--from the eleventh century BCE through the
sixth century CE, a period not usually examined in bioarchaeological
studies of the region--and geographical areas including city-states in
the Greek mainland, the Aegean islands, the Ionian coast, Albania, and
Southern Italy. Comparing health-related data across social groups and
sociopolitical systems, contributors explore the relationships between
colonists and Indigenous communities, strategies of inclusion and
exclusion in mortuary practices, and the impact of urbanization and
Romanization on health, diet, and growth. This book also discusses
methodological questions such as the challenges posed by poor skeletal
preservation, small sample sizes, and incomplete or legacy data.



With a focus on marginalized groups including ordinary people, women, children, and enslaved workers, Social Inequality and Difference in the Ancient Greek World
shows how bioarchaeology can dialogue with the disciplines of
archaeology and ancient history to explore subjects such as health,
inequality, ethnicity, age, and gender. This book opens a new avenue for
addressing questions concerning living standards in the ancient world.



Contributors:
Hannah Liedl Lukas Waltenberger Britney Kyle Dimitra Ermioni
Michael Victoria Sabetai Carrie L. Sulosky Weaver Anna Lagia
Elena Vlachogianni Sandra Garvie-Lok Jane Buikstra
Reine-Marie Bérard Christina Papageorgopoulou Efthymia Nikita
Aliya R. Hoff Eleni-Anna Prevedorou Sofia Voutsaki Lisa Steige
Sam Cleymans Paraskevi Tritsaroli



A volume in the
series Bioarchaeological Interpretations of the Human Past: Local,
Regional, and Global Perspectives, edited by Clark Spencer Larsen