There has been much debate about the dates of 5^th century BC Athenian inscriptions and the hands of the inscribers. This book brings order to the study of hands of 5^th century BC Athens by setting out a methodology, by discussing critically the attempts of others to identify hands, and by presenting studies of 11 inscribers. It narrows the dates of many texts and thus enables an improved appreciation of the history to which they bear witness.