greek-politicsfeatured in 30 works

The Rule of Law

A city is better governed by impartial law than by the unchecked will of any ruler, however wise.

The rule of law holds that law, not the arbitrary discretion of individuals, should be sovereign. Plato moved toward this idea in the Laws, but it was Aristotle (4th c. BCE) who made the classic case in the Politics, arguing that 'law is reason free from passion' and so a safer ruler than any single person. Carried forward by Roman jurisprudence and by Cicero's vision of law standing above the magistrate, it became one of the deepest foundations of Western constitutional thought.

How it traveled

Histories
Thurii (Magna Graecia) · -425
explains
On the murder of Herodes
Athens · -411
explains
Against Eratosthenes
Athens · -403
applies
Against Callimachus
Athens · -402
explains
History of the Peloponnesian War
Athens · -400
explains
Against Andocides
Athens · -399
applies
Crito
Athens · -399
explains
Against Alcibiades 1
Athens · -395
applies
On the Mysteries
Athens · -390
explains
Against Alcibiades
Athens · -390
explains
Against Nicomachus
Athens · -380
explains
On the Murder of Eratosthenes
Athens · -380
explains
Panegyricus
Athens · -380
explains
Republic
Athens · -375
explains
Plataicus
Athens · -373
applies
Statesman
Athens · -358
explains
Areopagiticus
Athens · -355
explains
Hellenica
Athens · -354
explains
Cyropaedia
Athens · -354
explains
Memorabilia
Athens · -354
explains
Against Androtion
Athens · -354
explains
Constitution of the Lacedaimonians
Athens · -354
explains
Against Aristocrates
Athens · -353
explains
For Phormio
Athens · -350
applies
Laws
Athens · -348
explains
Letters
Athens · -348
explains
Against Timarchus
Athens · -346
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Against Eubulides
Athens · -345
explains
On the False Embassy
Athens · -343
explains
On Halonnesus
Athens · -342
applies

Key passages(20)

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 5.6.5↗explains

Nicomachean Ethics · Aristotle