The Collapse of Antiquity: Greece and Rome as Civilization's Oligarchic Turning Point 9783949546129, 9783949546112, 9780998229249
The Collapse of Antiquity, the sequel to Michael's "...and forgive them their debts, " is the second and
145 104 2MB
English Pages 512 Year 2023
Table of contents :
Acknowledgements
Preface
Maps
Introduction
Summary
A Chronology of Debt Crises and Land Struggles in Greece and Rome
1. How Interest-Bearing Debt was Brought to Greece and Italy, 8th Century BC
Part I — Greece
2. Reformers Cancel Debts and Redistribute Land, 7th and 6th Centuries BC
3. Sparta’s Oligarchy Defers an Early Political Crisis, 6th Century BC
4. Solon Bans Debt Slavery in Athens, 594 BC
5. From Democracy to the Thirty Tyrants, 508-404 BC
6. Public Finance, from Temples to Oligarchs
7. Plato, Aristophanes and Aristotle on Money-Lust, 4th Century BC
8. Agis, Cleomenes and Nabis Cancel Sparta’s Debts, 3rd Century BC
Part II — Rome
9. From Rome’s Takeoff to the Patrician Coup, 753-509 BC
10. Secession of the Plebs and Broken Patrician Promises, 495-471 BC
11. The Twelve Tables and Struggle for Debt Reform, 462-390 BC
12. New Revolts Lead to the Banning of Debt Slavery, 390-287 BC
13. The Punic Wars End with a Financial Land Grab, 218-198 BC
14. Rome’s Empire Enriches its Financial Oligarchy, 2nd Century BC
15. Revolts Against and Within Rome Lead to Financial Crisis, 91-86 BC
16. The Mithridatic Wars Against Roman Creditors, 88-63 BC
17. Rome’s Land and Debt Crisis from Sulla to Catiline, 83-62 BC
18. From Cato and Cicero to Pompey and Caesar, 65-49 BC
19. Caesar’s Moderate Debt and Land Legislation, 49-44 BC
20. The Empire’s Fiscal Squeeze and Money Shortage, 1st to 3rd Centuries AD
Part III — Epilogue
21. Rome’s End Time Leads the Church to Ban Usury, 4th Century AD
22. Romanized Christianity Supports the Oligarchy, 4th and 5th Centuries AD
23. Roman History and Modern Ideology
Bibliography
