Athens, Rome, and England

Uncovering the roots of the U.S. Constitution


The U.S. Constitution influences nearly every aspect of our lives. But for all the fierce disputes about what the Constitution means, the historical foundations of America’s legal and political institutions pass almost unnoticed today.

This is a glaring oversight, one that clouds our understanding of the Constitution and American law and politics in general. For the Constitution did not spring up suddenly in 1787. The framers were influenced at every turn by a tradition of constitutional development dating back to ancient times.

Political scientist and legal scholar Matthew A. Pauley fills in the blanks in our understanding by chronicling the three most important influences on the American constitutional experience: ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and England. Pauley’s masterful historical survey sheds new light on our system of representative democracy, our court structure, and our traditions of law—civil and criminal, public and private.

No student of law or government can afford to ignore this highly readable, deeply informative work. Athens, Rome, and England adds immeasurably to our appreciation and understanding of the roots of the American Constitution and our legal and political system.