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Greek HistoryAthenian Democracy: 600-300BC

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Greek History

• 1 The development of the early Athenian democracy 600-500 BC

• 2 The democratic institutions of Classical Athens 500-300 BC

• 3 The Athenian democracy in practice

Athenian Democracy: 600-300BC

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Greek HistoryAthens and the wider world

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Greek History

Attica:

• Huge – est. size: 2500 km2

Athens and Attica

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Greek History1. Development of Democracy

Three key figures:1.1 Solon of Athens – law giver – 593/2 BC

1.2 Peisistratos and sons – tyrants – c.561/0-514 BC

1.3 Kleisthenes – reformer – 507/6 BC

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Greek History

Context for Solon’s reforms:• Political conflict between aristocrats and poor• Revolutionary demands for equal redistribution

of property

1.1 Solon the Lawgiver

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Greek History

• Solon as social conservative:

• No redistribution of land

• Access to offices in state according to wealth classes:• Thetes – poor (bare minimum)• Zeugitai – relatively rich • Hippeis – rather rich• Pentakosiomedimnoi – disgustingly rich (highest offices)

1.1 Solon’s response

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Greek History

• Solon as reformer:• Access to offices in state according to wealth

NOT birth• Abolition of feudal system and enslavement of

citizens for debt• Introduction of judicial appeal to masses

1.1 Solon’s response

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• Continued unrest after Solon’s laws• Athens split in 3 factions:

• pedieis (men of the plain)lead by Lykourgos

• paralioi (men of the coast)lead by Megakles

• hypakrioi (men from over the hills) lead by Peisistratos

1.2 After Solon

Pedieis

Hypakrioi

Paralioi

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Greek History

• 561/0 BC Peisistratos first gains power• P. expelled from Athens by rivals• P. returns to power with help of Megakles• 556/5 BC P. falls out with Megakles and expelled

• 546/5 BC Peisistratos and his sons return with army and rule as tyrants until 511/0 BC

1.2 Peisistratos the Tyrant

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Greek History

What did Peisistratos do?

‘Most important of all the things mentioned was his democratic and humane manner. In other respects he was willing to administer everything according to the laws, not giving himself any advantage; and on one occasion, when he was summoned before the Areopagus on a homicide charge, he attended to make his defence – but the prosecutor took fright and defaulted.’

Athenaion Politeia 16.8 (=Ath. Pol.)

1.2 Peisistratos the Tyrant

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Greek History

What did Peisistratos and his sons do?

1.2 Peisistratos the Tyrant

Athens, Temple of Zeus Olympios built by Peisistratids

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Greek History

What did Peisistratos and his sons do?• Athenian Road system, centred on Attica• Road distances measured from altar of 12 gods,

dedicated by Peisistratos the younger• System of judges travelling to Attic countryside

1.2 Peisistratos the Tyrant

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Greek History

Conflicting accounts of liberation:• Tyrant slayers did it (Harmodius and Aristogeiton)

– The official story – FALSE

• The Spartans expelled the tyrants – TRUE

• Spartans expelled them because an Athenian family bribed the Delphic Oracle to tell them to do it

– Hmm…

1.3 Expulsion of the Tyrants

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Greek History

• Aristocratic infighting (again): Kleisthenes v. Isagoras• 507 BC Kleisthenes turned to the demos (people)

promising political reform• The Spartans try to interfere (again); the Athenians rise

up and throw them out

1.3 After the Tyrants

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• New way of organizing Athens as a political community• 10 tribes consisting each of

»Three trittyes (thirds) which consist of• demes (local urban centres in

Attica)

• New council (boule) of 500• 50 councillors every year for each tribe

1.3 Kleisthenes’ Political Reforms

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Greek History1.3 Kleisthenes’ Political Reforms

Map showing the Political organization of Attica as a result of the Kleisthenic reforms.

from J . S. Traill (1986) Demes and Trittys. Princeton.

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Greek History

Some common themes:• Development of Athenian democracy complex• General trend towards greater participation for masses• Role of elite• Continuous change – later important innovations

include:– Ostracism– Jury pay– Pay for serving on boule– Pay for attending assembly

1.5 Themes

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Greek History

What does democracy mean?

Democracy = demos (people) + kratos (power)

demos = the entire people (including the rich)

demos = the people (i.e. the masses) as opposed to the rich

2.1 Workings of Democracy at Athens

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Greek History

Role of the ekklesia (popular assembly):• Discussed and made binding decisions on:

– spending– foreign relations– defence– conduct of magistrates

• Open to any male citizen over 20 years of age

• Met at least 40 times a year (every 9 days)• Required a quorum of at least 6,000

citizens• Paid (after 400 BC)

2.2 Ekklesia

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Role of the boule (council):• Discuss matters before the ekklesia and prepared agenda

for its meetings• 500 members, 50 from each tribe chosen by lot from male

citizens older than 30• Met every day and received embassies from foreign states• Had presidency (the prytaneis) which rotated round the 10

tribes every month• c. 30-40% of all Athenians would have served at least once

for a whole year• Paid

2.3 Boule

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Role of the dikasteria (law courts):• Judge cases• 6,000 male Athenian citizens over 30

appointed dikastai (jurors)• Met every day to judge cases• Juries for individual cases usually 201-

501 (could be up to 1,500!)• Juries assigned by complicated system

to avoid bribery• Paid (after c. 454 BC)

2.4 Law Courts

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Greek History2.5 Athenian Democracy: Overview

Athenian Demosc.60,000 adult male citizens

(c. 30,000 400-300 BC)

Excluded:WomenSlavesMetics

(100,000 ?)

Ekklesia (at least 6,000)Important decisions

Oversight

Attendance

Boule500 chosen

annually from demos by lot

Prepare agenda Law courts 6,000

chosen from demos

annually

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Greek History2.6 British ‘Democracy’: Overview

British Electorate46 million

Excluded:Metics

4 million

Parliament 650 MPs divided into parties

Election

LordsChosen by

parties

Law courts(some jury

courts)

Parties

Government:PM and Cabinet

Crown

Laws

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Greek History

• Who did it exclude?• Who actively participated?• Who did speak?• Equality of participation – or equality of opportunity to

participate?• Who was listened to?• How easy was it to game the system?• How does it compare?

3.1 How Democratic?

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Greek History

• What is the most democratic means of choosing a magistrate?

• The ballot box?

• A lottery?

3.2 How Democratic?

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Greek History

The Elite in Democratic Athens:

• Competition (liturgies)

• Election (e.g. Strategoi)

• Elimination (ostracism)

3.3 Political Leadership

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Greek History

• Adult male citizen population: 30,000 (Fourth Century BC)

• Total citizen population, including women and children:100,000

• Metic population:c.40,000?

• Number of slaves:Up to 150,000?

3.4 Political Participation

Citizen women and children Citizensmetics Slaves