On Revenues

Xenophon, 431 BCE-350？ BCEProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.4

Word count: 54K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.On Revenues by XenophonAuthor: Xenophon, 431 BCE-350? BCE,Language: English, Class: PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature, Release Date: Jan 1, 1998

Editor's review

On Revenues is one of Xenophon's few works that directly addresses the economic and fiscal problems of the city-state, presenting recommendations to Athenian decision-makers on how to increase public revenue and improve the financial situation. It discusses Athens' resource conditions, commercial and mining development, and the management of public affairs, reflecting the author's concern with practical governance and preserving a primary sample of ancient Greek economic thought. Its value lies not in offering rigorous economic theory but in showing how a classical author observed the relationship between resources, population, and city-state revenue. The text is concise, clearly structured, and brief, making it suitable as supplementary reading for the economic history and political thought of ancient Greece. Readers will better understand the practical relevance of the author's proposals if they consider the wartime and fiscal context of Athens at the time; at the same time, they should note that the proposals carry a particular standpoint and should not be taken as neutral description.

Who it's for

A good fit for

History readers studying ancient Greek economic history and city-state finance
Students interested in governance and resource issues in classical political thought
Classics enthusiasts who want to know Xenophon's non-dialogic works
Learners who need English public-domain historical texts for supplementary course reading

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking modern economic theory or analytical frameworks
Readers who prefer literary narrative and have little interest in policy-proposal texts
Beginners who need detailed historical background research and annotations

Reading tips

First understand Athens' wartime and fiscal difficulties at the time, then read the main text to better grasp the relevance of the proposals.
While reading, distinguish the author's factual statements from his policy claims, and note his standpoint and argumentation.
Compare with other ancient Greek texts on economic and governance issues to observe differences in authors' concerns.
The text is short; it is advisable to read it through in one sitting and then review key passages to organize the main revenue sources the author proposes.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What is this book mainly about?

According to the material, it is Xenophon's proposal on city-state revenue and finance, discussing how to increase public revenue, use Athens' resources, and improve financial management. The specific arguments should be based on the English public-domain main text, and readers can understand its claims in light of the historical context.

Is it suitable as an introductory economics reading?

Not very suitable. It is not an economics work in the modern sense but a policy proposal by a classical author addressing specific city-state problems, lacking a systematic theoretical framework. It is more suitable as historical material on economic history or classical thought.

What background knowledge is needed before reading?

It is advisable to first understand Athens' political system, wartime conditions, and revenue sources in the classical period, and to have a general knowledge of Xenophon's life and the tendencies of his works. With this background, the proposals in the main text will be easier to understand.

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About the author

Xenophon, 431 BCE-350？ BCE Author

Xenophon (c. 431–c. 350 BCE) was an ancient Greek historian, military commander and prose writer. Public information about the details of his life is limited, and his works are the main basis for understanding him and his thought. The collection holds 20 of his works, including Anabasis, Hellenica, Cyropaedia and The Memorabilia. These writings combine historical narrative, military memoir and philosophical dialogue; their style is clear and plain, their narration concrete and vivid, and they are especially notable for firsthand accounts of campaigns he experienced. His works have long circulated as important sources for the study of ancient Greek politics, warfare and thought, and have influenced later historical writing and educational ideas.