The Hubris of Power on the Pnyx: Why Modern Politics Misreads Classical Athens

Modern political rhetoric—as exemplified by Marco Rubio's speech at the Pnyx, facing the Athens Acropolis—frequently treats ancient Greece as a mere repository of symbols: democracy, freedom, innovation, and military might. Yet, classical warnings against ambition, imperial violence, and strategic overreach are rarely acknowledged. This selective appropriation twists a civilization deeply preoccupied with the dangers of power into an instrument for celebrating it.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-11-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23865253
Primary Topic
Rhetoric and Communication Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

The Hubris of Power on the Pnyx: Why Modern Politics Misreads Classical Athens

John D. Pappas
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Rhetoric and Communication Studies
article

The Hubris of Power on the Pnyx: Why Modern Politics Misreads Classical Athens

John D. Pappas
article en

Abstract

Modern political rhetoric—as exemplified by Marco Rubio's speech at the Pnyx, facing the Athens Acropolis—frequently treats ancient Greece as a mere repository of symbols: democracy, freedom, innovation, and military might. Yet, classical warnings against ambition, imperial violence, and strategic overreach are rarely acknowledged. This selective appropriation twists a civilization deeply preoccupied with the dangers of power into an instrument for celebrating it.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Rhetoric and Communication Studies
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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The Hubris of Power on the Pnyx: Why Modern Politics Misreads Classical Athens — John D. Pappas · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS