Unwritten Laws? Legacies from Antigone and Lycurgus

This 47-minute lecture by Professor Melissa Lane explores the concept of "unwritten laws" in ancient Greek political thought, contrasting Athenian and Spartan approaches to legal traditions. Examine how Sophocles' Antigone invokes unwritten laws to challenge authority, and discover Pericles' views on their role in democratic governance. Learn about Sparta's strict oral legal tradition, including Plutarch's claim that lawgiver Lycurgus prohibited writing down laws. The presentation analyzes the tension between written and oral legal traditions, exploring how laws internalized through memory and observation might be more effective than written codes. Delivered at Barnard's Inn Hall as part of Gresham College's free public lecture series, this talk offers valuable insights into ancient political philosophy that remain relevant to contemporary debates about ethical formation.