Plutarch's Pragmatic Biographies : : Lessons for Statesmen and Generals in the Parallel Lives.

• Superior document: Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition Series ; v.43
• Author: Jacobs, Susan G.
• Place / Publishing House: Boston : : BRILL,, 2017.; Ã2017.
• Year of Publication: 2017
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition Series
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (487 pages)

In Plutarch's Pragmatic Biographies, Susan Jacobs argues that the Parallel Lives portray historical leaders solving problems familiar to statesmen and generals. By linking victories and defeats to moral character, strategic insights and practical skills, Plutarch provided lessons in effective leadership.

Table of Contents

Intro -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Sources and Abbreviations -- List of Tables -- Introduction -- Part 1 Training the Politikos under Rome -- Chapter 1 Plutarch and His Audience -- 1.1 Plutarch's Concept of the Politikos -- 1.2 Plutarch's Audience as Politikoi -- 1.3 Political Careers Open to the Educated Elite -- 1.4 Conclusion: Implications for Interpreting the Parallel Lives -- Chapter 2 Pragmatic Literature for Statesmen and Generals -- 2.1 Advice Literature -- 2.2 Pragmatic History -- 2.3 Individual Lives of Statesmen and Generals: Nepos and Plutarch -- 2.4 Conclusion: Implications for the Purpose of the Parallel Lives -- Chapter 3 Didactic Agenda of the Parallel Lives: Insights from the Prologues and Synkriseis -- 3.1 Statesmanship and Generalship in the Prologues -- 3.2 Statesmanship in the Synkriseis -- 3.3 Techniques for Reinforcing Pragmatic Lessons Across the Parallel Lives -- 3.4 Conclusion: Didactic Agenda of the Parallel Lives as Pragmatic Biography -- Part 2 Political and Military Leadership -- Chapter 4 Pericles-Fabius Maximus -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Life of Pericles -- 4.3 Life of Fabius Maximus -- 4.4 Insights from the Synkrisis -- Chapter 5 Coriolanus-Alcibiades -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Life of Coriolanus -- 5.3 Life of Alcibiades -- 5.4 Insights from the Synkrisis -- Chapter 6 Agesilaus-Pompey -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Life of Agesilaus -- 6.3 Life of Pompey -- 6.4 Insights from the Synkrisis -- Part 3 Ruling and Being Ruled -- Chapter 7 Aemilius-Timoleon -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Life of Aemilius Paullus -- 7.3 Life of Timoleon -- 7.4 Insights from the Synkrisis -- Chapter 8 Demetrius-Antony -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Life of Demetrius -- 8.3 Life of Antony -- 8.4 Insights from the Synkrisis -- Chapter 9 Phocion-Cato Minor -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Life of Phocion -- 9.3 Life of Cato Minor.

9.4 Insights from Analyzing Differences -- Chapter 10 Conclusion -- 10.1 Plutarch's Project in the Parallel Lives -- 10.2 Applying the Exempla -- 10.3 Reception of the Lives as Pragmatic Biography in the Western Classical Tradition -- 10.4 "Pragmatic Biography" versus "Explorations of Issues of Virtue and Vice" -- Bibliography -- Index.