An Ottoman Perception of Greek History : Mahmut Efendi’s History of Athens

Presents an 18th-century Ottoman-language history of Athens, shedding light on attitudes towards the Classical Greek past

This edition comprises a transliteration, translation and commentary of a history of Athens written from the 1710s to the 1740s by Mahmut Efendi, a locally born Ottoman court official. The text describes the city’s early history, the reforms of Solon, the battles of Marathon and Salamis, Socrates’ teaching, Alexander the Great’s involvement with the city and exploits in Asia, and the city’s conversion to Christianity. It also outlines the involvement of Venice in the city’s fortunes starting in the 13th century and complains of the second Venetian occupation (1686–87) of the Peloponnese and Athens. Shining a light on the historical consciousness and geographical awareness of an Ottoman official in a provincial court, the text is a valuable source for a range of fields. The volume opens with an introduction, which considers Mahmut Efendi’s motives in writing the text, his selections from and distortions of episodes in Athenian history, his take on Athenian mythology, and his language and the issues arising in the translation of his text. The volume also offers a detailed commentary, a directory of geographical terms and a dictionary of personal names.