Action and Contemplation in Greco-Roman Theories of Statemanship

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The present project aims to analyse Cicero's conception of the ideal ruler taking into account his reception of the theories of statemanship developed by 4th century Athenian philosophers (Plato, Aristotle, Isocrates). The general research question of statemanship requires an assessment of these three research topics: 1) the statesman's knowledge and its epistemological foundation; 2) the training the statesman needs to receive; 3) the aims and methods of statemanship. I will address these topics through a study of how action (including rhetoric) and contemplation (i.e. theoretical studies) inform the figure of the ideal ruler in each authors' philosophy.