My recollection of greek history is that it wasn't quite as Samuel described it. That is, slaves' status was much more complicated, and less oppressive than one might think. They were able to engage in commerce, and could acquire wealth. Citizens were socially discouraged from acquiring wealth, participated in the political and military obligations of the polis, and left the manual work to the slaves. It was strangely different from our capitalist economy. The same was true in Sparta where slaves and foreigners were allowed to engage in commercial activities, not Spartan citizens. In addition, war captives were put to work in the mines, which was supposed to be terrible, where life expectancy was short.
This is from my teaching this stuff 50 years ago, so it isn't current scholarship, but it does demonstrate that current notions of citizen and slave have nothing to do with earlier, different civilizations.
Finally, what was elite in 5th c Greece changed enormously by the time we get to Hellenic and then roman civilizations.
ken
Kenneth Harrow
Dept of English and Film Studies
http://www.english.msu.edu/people/faculty/kenneth-harrow/
From: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Samuel Zalanga <szalanga@gmail.com>
Reply-To: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Date: Friday 2 March 2018 at 21:08
To: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - NIGERIA'S LITERATE ZOMBIES
In Ancient Athens, there were many other priorities from the perspective of the poor, slaves, and ordinary people than building the Parthenon, just as in Egypt or Sudan, the pyramids were more a way of immortalizing the elites than a major existential priority or concern of the masses.
This does not take away the fact that the buildings were impressive structures but if we allow that to go quietly, it may mean an endorsement of an approach to development that is more elite or oppressor-driven, than an expression of genuine concern to address the needs of the people at the bottom of the pyramid, the "wretched of the earth," or those treated as "disposable and expendable."
Even as we celebrate precolonial Africa, we have to remember those on the "other side."
Samuel
Samuel Zalanga, Ph.D.
Bethel University
Department of Anthropology, Sociology and Reconciliation Studies,
Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, #24, Saint Paul, MN 55112.
Office Phone: 651-638-6023
On Fri, Mar 2, 2018 at 7:23 PM, Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso <jumoyin@gmail.com> wrote:
"..." I fuse Nubia and Egypt for specific reasons. The Nubians influenced Egypt and vice versa.In fact hieroglyphics itself was of Nubian origin according to scholar/travelers like Diodorus Siculus and even the archeological record. There are also many examples of Nubian artifacts and techniques being classified as Egyptian.
Prof Emeagwali
Not to mention the over one thousand pyramids still standing in today's Sudan as further evidence!
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