ABSTRACT
Gramsci identifies hegemony and coercion as central concepts in his political and historical theory. Hegemony is, in Gramscian thought, a control mechanism adopted by the ruling class to dominate the other social classes through a complex blend of coercion and consent. This chapter examines how these Gramscian conceptual tools can inform some emerging topics in Greek history. Building on some of the essays in the volume, the chapter suggests some potential directions to study Greek history and culture within a Gramscian perspective. The chapter first discusses the Greek notion of timē and the relevant terminology. It argues that the language and the dynamic of timē prove particularly suitable to express Gramsci's mechanism of coercion and consent underpinning hegemony, as emerges from examples ranging from the Homeric world to Classical Athens. The chapter also explores some key themes such as slave-master relationship, and political and social inequalities institutionalised in some Greek political regimes, and explores the analytical potential of studying such phenomena as complex superstructures.
