Abstract

This chapter explores the classical Greek texts that lay the conceptual foundation for the Greek notions of sea power. I argue that for the Greek authors, sea power embodies broader principles of expansionism and mobility, which are bound to threaten the stability of the existing political order and lead to either a catastrophic subversion of it or the creation of a new utopian arrangement. At their core, the Greek notions of sea power mediate between a profound transformation of the political sphere and a conspicuous challenge to the good life of citizens.