Military space and paideia in the Lives of Pyrrhus and Marius

Abstract

: In this chapter, I explore the dangers and limitations of an exclusively military education in the light of the Pyrrhus and Marius. As I shall argue below, for Plutarch the military sphere is not merely a background setting in which the characters exhibit their valour, but rather a vital environment for the construction and interpretation of the biographical account; it helps to cast light on how the hero behaves in other contexts, e.g., in the family, in politics, philosophy, and rhetoric, which in turn has implications for the hero ’ s morality and cultural identity. At the beginning of the Life of Pyrrhus Plutarch provides his readers with the mythical narrative explaining the foundation and settlement of Epirus. According to tradi-tion, Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, was the country ’ s first ruler, but the line of kings descended from him, the Pyrrhidae, soon sank into barbarism in terms both of their power and way of life ( Pyrrh 1.4). The situation was ameliorated when Tharrhypas, Pyrrhus ’ great-great-grandfather, introduced Greek customs and letters, and administered the cities with humane laws ( Pyrrh . 1.4). mythical account anticipates key theme arising subsequent narrative, namely the between and – often baby