Studies in the history and epigraphy of Hellenistic Rhodes

The work is not a full-scale history of Rhodes in the Hellenistic age, the materials for which do not exist. It is rather an analysis of the ancient literary tradition regarding Hellenistic Rhodes on the one hand, and on the other an attempt to analyse, classify and exploit the very large body of epigraphical evidence in so far as it relates to the external aspects of Rhodian life. The results of this scrutiny of the epigraphical basis, here undertaken on a far wider basis than has ever before been possible, are as disappointing as conclusions based solely on epigraphical evidence are apt to be. The first half of the work examines in detail the tradition regarding the political history of Rhodes from 408/7 B.C., the year of the foundation of the city, to 164 B.C., the year in which Rhodes concluded an alliance with Rome, and thereby lost, largely in not wholly, the freedom of action which she had until then retained. [Continued in thesis]