Forme alternative di partecipazione politica in Isocrate

ABSTRACT Alternative forms of political participation in Isocrates This paper deals with a particular aspect of the field of study concerning citizen participation in the governance of a democratic polis, focusing on the figure that Aristotle refers to as the archomenos polites (Pol. III 1277a 20). The aim is to investigate whether this figure also appears in Isocrates’ political thought. Following an initial section dedicated to the lexicon of political participation in the works of the orator, with particular attention to the expression oi politeuomenoi (par. 1), the paper examines both Isocrates’ theoretical reflection on the category of «passive citizens» (par. 2) and the account he provides of his personal experience as a citizen who has deliberately chosen to refrain from active political engagement, opting instead to assume the role of advisor to his fellow citizens (par. 3).