Da prototipo ad eccezione: la diplomazia dei Greci nella storia delle relazioni internazionali

The essay reconsiders the diplomatic practices of ancient Greece, often criticized by modern scholars in International Relations (IR) and diplomatic history for being rudimentary and ineffective. It argues that these judgments are shaped more by contemporary expectations than by historical realities. Greek diplomacy, characterized by public discourse, collective decisionmaking, and the absence of professional diplomats, was uniquely suited to the decentralized, city-state structure of the Hellenic world. Contrary to the centralized and ceremonial diplomacy of ancient empires like Egypt or Persia, Greek diplomacy emphasized persuasion over protocol. It highlights the paradox that a politically sophisticated civilization could develop an ‘amateur’ diplomacy. Finally, it suggests that the emergence of New Diplomacy in the 21st century—plural, open, and participatory—makes the Greek model newly relevant.