Diplomatic practice and its change in the ancient Greek world

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13395
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03040:History of Europe and America-related
• Research Institution: Doshisha University
• Principal Investigator: KISHIMOTO Kota 同志社大学, 文学部, 准教授 (20823305)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 古代ギリシア史 / ヘレニズム / ローマ / 外交 / 連邦 / 演説 / 使節

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research I focused on diplomatic relations and practice of poleis in mainland Greece from Hellenistic to Roman period. From analyses of construction, maintenance, strain, and repairment of their diplomatic relations, I arrived at conclusions as follows:
1) It was common past shared among Greeks and “invented” relations between poleis that functioned as important rhetoric in speeches of diplomatic envoys. 2) Through these communications, “past” and “invented” relations were reproduced, and often changed. 3) Adapted to the Roman rule, the Greek “past” and “invented” continued. In other words, “nominal diplomacy” continued even under the Roman rule.

Free Research Field

古代ギリシア史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、従来ほとんど等閑視されてきたヘレニズム時代の使節演説を、文献資料のみならず、碑文資料も用いて総合的に議論した点に学術的意義がある。その結論は、ギリシア世界全体で共有された過去が、外交的な行動規範に影響を与えたこと、そして過去が使節の演説を通じて再確認または再解釈される余地があったことを示した点で、独自性がある。また、外交文化がローマ支配下で名目的にでも継続したことは、ヘレニズム時代とローマ時代を総合的に論じる示唆を提示した点で意義があると考える。