Description:

“The Values of Athens” in Contemporary White Ethnonationalism 

Classical scholars who are familiar with the admiration for ancient Sparta among contemporary white ethnonationalists may be surprised to learn that democratic Athens is also a significant source of inspiration for these groups. This lecture will describe how white supremacists invoke Athens in support of their politics and will highlight the similarities between their vision of Athens and mainstream understandings of the historical significance of that city and the ancient Greek polis more generally. 

Curtis Dozier teaches in the Department of Greek and Roman Studies at Vassar College. He is the director of Pharos: Doing Justice to the Classics (pharosclassics.vassar.edu), a website that documents appropriations of Greco-Roman antiquity by hate groups. 

Image: Shutterstock, Crane/Scaffold on the Parthenon