Armut - Arbeit - Menschenwürde

This volume contains a full translation and commentary of Dio of Prusa's Euboean Oration, of which generally only the first part, a short narrative about the life of a hunter's family in southern Euboea, is known. The second part of the speech, however, is at least of equal interest, because it presents a substantial social and economic program that is to ensure decent working conditions and a humane livelihood especially for the urban poor. This program is closely connected with Dio's lifelong engagement not only as a politician in his native city of Prusa, but also as a philosophical counsellor and orator in Rome. A number of essays illuminate the literary, archaeological, ethical and sociopolitical aspects of this work and thus make it possible (for the first time) to fully appreciate its contents.