The Greek Revolution of 1821 - (Edinburgh Leventis Studies) by Roderick Beaton & Niels Gaul (Hardcover)

About the Book

Explores little-known contexts of the Greek Revolution, especially the previously unrecognised Scottish dimension of the international movement known as Philhellenism

Book Synopsis

Political history and history of ideas, art history, theories of nations and nationalism, Classical Reception studies, modern Greek history and modern Scottish history come together in this collection of essays by experts in all these fields. The starting point for the volume is the bicentenary of the Greek Revolution (1821-1832), for the first time linked to the cultural and intellectual history of Scotland, and particularly of Edinburgh, during roughly the same period. The book's two parts respectively contextualise the struggle for Greek national independence in space and time, and explore the engagement of Scots with Greece during the period, as well as parallels between the two nations. Throughout, the Greek Revolution and its Scottish supporters are viewed in relation to the Classical Tradition, or Classical Reception.
This pioneering book makes a unique contribution to the burgeoning literature on the Greek Revolution during the anniversary decade, and raises issues of national identity and self-determination that have contemporary resonances in both Greece and Scotland, at opposite ends of Europe, today.

Review Quotes

A landmark collection of essays, The Greek Revolution of 1821: European Contexts, Scottish Connections masterfully links the Greek struggle for independence with the intellectual vitality of the Scottish Enlightenment. Redefining philhellenism and offering profound insights that resonate with contemporary discussions of nationalism, identity and cultural exchange, this volume is essential reading for anyone interested in the intersection of the Enlightenment and the Age of Revolution.--Aristides Hatzis, University of Athens

The Greek Revolution of 1821: European Contexts, Scottish Connections is a staggering testament to just how international the Greek War of Independence was: in its origins, vision, scope and consequences. The volume's penetrating and interconnected essays add new layers of understanding to how the Greek revolution reverberated throughout Europe and beyond, even as the in-depth exploration of its uniquely Scottish connections reveals a compelling chapter of European intellectual history. There is much of interest -- and surprise -- here for the expert and relative newcomer alike.--Johanna Hanink, Brown University

About the Author

Roderick Beaton grew up in Edinburgh, where he first began to study (ancient) Greek at George Watson's College. For thirty years until his retirement in 2018 he held the Koraes Chair of Modern Greek and Byzantine History, Language and Literature at King's College London, and is now Emeritus. In 2021 he returned to his birthplace as A. G. Leventis Visiting Professor of Greek at The University of Edinburgh. He is a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA), a Fellow of King's College (FKC), and Commander of the Order of Honour of the Hellenic Republic. He is currently Chair of the British School at Athens. His most recent books are: The Greeks: A Global History (Faber, UK; Basic, USA, 2021), The Greek Revolution of 1821 and its Global Significance (Aiora, 2021), Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation (Allen Lane/Penguin, 2019) and Byron's War: Romantic Rebellion, Greek Revolution (Cambridge University Press, 2013)

Niels Gaul is A. G. Leventis Professor of Byzantine Studies and Director of the Centre for Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies at the University of Edinburgh. He is currently working toward the written version of the E. A. Lowe Lectures in Palaeography 2023, provisionally entitled Manuscripts of Character: Codex, Ethos and Authority in Byzantium. His most recent books are: Centre, Province and Periphery in the Age of Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (co-edited, Harrassowitz, 2018) Thomas Magistros und die spätbyzantinische Sophistik (Harrassowitz, 2011)