Athens “is Dieting”. The relationship between “gastronomy” (opsopoietike) and politics in Plato’s philosophy

Abstract

This paper addresses the question of the relationship between the diaita, that is, the psychophysical conditions related to nutrition, and the political regime that it generates in Plato’s philosophy. It will be argued that the reasons that stimulate Plato’s critique to the dietary nomos, that emerge in the V-IV BC centuries following the development of the culinary technique, are especially political reasons. Our purpose is to find the relationship between a food habit and a government’s pattern. In order to attain the aim, the article is divided into the following parts: First, we argue about Plato’s interest in foods and the effects that food has on individual and on political health; Then we examine the Plato’s judgment about the new habits and their social influences; Finally, we analyse the relationship between diaita and politics in the Republic and Laws.

Keywords: Plato, diaita, politics, nomos.