The Economics of War in Ancient Greece

In recent decades the study of the ancient economy and ancient warfare have both been transformed by ground-breaking new studies and methodological approaches. Offering a selection of cutting-edge research on the interlocked themes of economics and war, this edited volume explores how armed conflict affected markets and economic opportunities in ancient Greece. From the destruction of cities to the emergence of new fiscal institutions, war prompted massive changes to economic conditions throughout the ancient Mediterranean and beyond – some with lasting consequences for the organisation of states and armies.

The contributors look beyond the old paradigms of finance and logistics, and broaden the discussion to address themes such as gender, literary culture and the Persian Empire. More specifically, they analyse how ancient rulers and states struggled to mobilise resources and what they did to tackle fiscal challenges to wage war more efficiently, thereby demonstrating how matters of war can be an invaluable source of information on the way ancient economies worked and developed. As a result, this book shows how the study of economic factors – too often neglected in works on ancient warfare – allows a deeper understanding of military cultures and events in ancient Greece.