Six Degrees of Socrates: The Social Networks of the Ancient Greeks

In this richly illustrated lecture, we use social network analysis (SNA) to examine the social networks of fifth-century BCE Athens, including Pericles, Socrates, the potters and painters of Athens, the workers who built the Parthenon and more. SNA is a relatively new analytical tool that can be applied when one wants to see relationships in a network, ranging from places to things and people, and which utilizes data from archaeology, epigraphy, or ancient texts. The results can be dramatically shown in images that shed new light on our understanding — we learn, for instance, that the ancient Greeks had strong social networks, which helped to spread new ideas rapidly, and that contributed to the creativity and innovation for which they are now justifiably famous.

Diane Harris Cline is an Associate Professor of History and Classics with George Washington University, where she has received several teaching awards. She holds her degrees from Princeton University (Ph.D.) and Stanford University and has twice been a Fulbright Scholar. Her areas of specialization are the history of ancient Greece, social networks and epigraphy.  Cline said, “I study innovation and creativity in Classical Athens through social networks. My research involves the application of Social Network Analysis methodology to the social history of ancient Greece.” In 2016 Cline published National Geographic’s "The Greeks: An Illustrated History," and recent articles include “The Social Network of Socrates” (CHS Research Bulletin 7, 2019).