A collection of Finley's 14 most important essays on the social and economic conditions of antiquity -- a useful reference for academic specialists.

The essays are organized around 3 topics: the ancient polis, slavery and dependent labor, and the Mycenaean and Homeric worlds.

I particularly liked the essay comparing the Greek conception of freedom with that of John Stuart Mill and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.

This collection covers subjects from Athenian imperialism to Homeric marriage. Two themes stand out: the relationship of social values to economic activity, and the analysis of antiquity's stratification system. ( )