Jigsaw:
Athenian Democracy
The Athenian Constitution (Document A)
Source: The following excerpt comes from “The Athenian
Constitution,” written by the Greek philosopher Aristotle between
330 and 322 BC. Aristotle was the leading Greek philosopher of
the time, and is credited with writing accounts of the constitutions
of 170 different Greek states.
At the time that we are speaking, the people have secured their
control of the government. Everything is administered (run) by
vote.
The right to vote and participate is open to all men who are of
citizen birth by both parents. They are enrolled (registered) as
citizens at the age of eighteen. If the candidates (nominees) are not
of the right age, then they are sent back into the ranks of the boys.
If the city decides that the candidate has no right to be enrolled as a
citizen because the candidate was not born from two free parents,
he is sold by the city as a slave.
All the magistrates (government officials) that are responsible for
the normal administration of the city are elected in the Assembly
by lottery (a raffle). However, some special positions are elected
by vote. All military officers are also elected by vote.
Guiding Questions
1. Who has the right to vote in Athens?
2. What happens if the city decides that someone does not have a right to be a
citizen?
3. How are magistrates and other government officials chosen in Athens?
The Athenian Population (Document B)
Source: The data below comes from the book “Wealthy Hellas,”
written by Professor Josiah Ober in 2010. Ober is a professor of
Classical Civilization and Political Science at Stanford University.
Population
Group
Citizen men
Citizen
women
Children of
citizens
Metics
Slaves
Total Number
of people
29,900
29,900
Total Population:
Percentage of
the population
12%
12%
Ability to vote
Yes
No
74,750
31%
No
25,775
80,000
11%
34%
No
No
Percentage of Total
240,235 Population Able to
Vote:
12%
*Metics were foreigners or Greeks from other city-states that settled in
Athens, normally for business or trade. They became a key part of the citystate’s economy, industry, and education system.
Guiding Questions
1. Which groups of Athenians were able to vote? Which groups were not able to
vote?
2. What percentage of Athens’ total population was able to vote? Do you think
Athens was truly democratic based on this?
Pericles’ Funeral Oration (Document C)
Source: The following excerpt is from a speech known as ‘The
Funeral Oration” given by the Athenian general and politician
Pericles in 431 BC. Pericles was the leader of Athens when it was
most powerful. He gave this speech during a funeral for Athenian
soldiers that died in the first year of a civil war against Sparta,
Athens’ biggest rival.
"Our constitution (government) favors many people instead of only
a few. This is why it is called a democracy. If we look at the laws,
they give equal justice to all people. Whether someone is rich or
poor is not allowed to stop someone with talent from succeeding,
and poverty (being poor) does not block the way to success. If a
man is able to serve the city, he is not stopped by the unimportance
of his social class.
The freedom that we enjoy in our government extends (spreads)
also to our ordinary life. We are not jealous of each other. We do
not feel angry with our neighbor for doing what he likes, even if
they participate in something that we do not like. Yet all this
freedom in our private lives does not make us lawless as citizens.
Rather, we are taught to obey the magistrates (government
officials) and the laws. Even unwritten laws cannot be broken
without people feeling disgrace.”
Guiding Questions
1. How does Pericles describe the Athenian constitution/government?
2. How does Pericles describe the private lives of Athenians?
Professor Paul Cartledge (Document D)
Source: The following document was written by Professor Paul
Cartledge, and published by BBC News on February 17, 2011.He
is Professor of Greek History at the University of Cambridge, and
was the main historical advisor for the BBC TV series ‘The
Greeks.’
“The ancient Greek word demokratia means 'people-power'. But
which people actually had that power? Was it all the people? Or
only a small amount of people that were considered citizens?
The total population of 5th century Athens was around 250,000. Of
those 250,000, about 30,000 on were full citizens. These were
adult males of Athenian. Of those 30,000 citizens, only 5,000
might regularly attend (go to) the meetings of the voting assembly.
Only adult male citizens had full rights in the democratic
government. Women, even Athenian women, were totally
excluded (left out). This was a men's club. Foreigners, especially
unfree slave foreigners, were extremely excluded. The citizen body
was a small group of elite men that was closed off to everyone
else.”
Guiding Questions
1. Who created this document? Do you think it is reliable?
2. What are TWO reasons the author gives for why he believes Athens was not
really democratic? Do you think these are good reasons?
Lead Tokens (Document E)
Source: The image below is of lead tokens from Athens in the 4th
century BC. These small tokens were turned in for money, allowing
for poor citizens to participate in the Athenian Citizens’ Assembly
without losing a day’s pay. This made sure that all citizens, even
those of the poorest class, could participate in political life.
Guiding Questions
1. What were these lead tokens used for?
2. Why might this be important in a democracy?
Ostracism (Document F)
Source: The image below is of Ostraka fragments from 5th century
BC Athens. The Ostraka were used by Athenian citizens to vote in
a political procedure known as Ostracism. Ostracism was an
official vote held each year to exile (send away) a certain Athenian
citizen from the city for ten years. At least 6,000 Athenian citizens
voted during the Ostracism, and the citizen whose name appeared
on the most Ostraka was exiled. Though originally intended to
protect against monarchy, Ostracism was most frequently used as
a political weapon against Athenian politicians who had become
too popular with the people. This way, politicians could remove
their chief rivals. Many of Athens’ greatest leaders were either
exiled through the Ostracism or nearly exiled in very close votes.
Guiding Questions
1. What were Ostraka used for? Explain the political procedure
2. Do you think Ostracism is helpful or harmful to democracy? Explain.
Athenian Democracy
My group’s document: ________________________
What I know about who created the document: ____________________
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The main ideas of the document were:
1.
2.
3.
Based on the information in this document, Athens…(Circle below)
WAS DEMOCRATIC
WAS NOT DEMOCRATIC
I think this because: __________________________________________
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Was ancient Athens really democratic?
Athens WAS democratic!
Evidence 1:
Evidence 2:
Evidence 3:
Athens WAS NOT democratic!
Evidence 1:
Evidence 2:
Evidence 3:
Group Agreement:
Discuss the evidence with your group and reach an agreement on whether
or not Athens was truly democratic! Provide at least TWO reasons from the
documents to support your claim!
After discussing the evidence, my group believes ancient Athens
WAS/WAS NOT democratic because ______________________________
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