Democracy 101
What is it good for?
Overview
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Athenian Democracy
The Virtues of Ruling
Republic or Democracy?
Athenian Geography
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Athens has poor soil
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Red clay: bad for food, good for
pottery
Olives, grapes and figs
3 splendid harbors of Piraeus
Silver mines in Larium
Fine white marble
Legends of Athenian
Past
Never successfully invaded by Dorians
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A refuge for pure Greeks escaping invasions
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So they were “Pure Greeks”. Ionians.
Tradition of harmony, not conflict.
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Synoikismos – “bringing households together”
Legend of the Genesis of Athens. Yikes.
Legends of Athenian
Past
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632, Cyclon of Megara wanted to est. a Tyranny so attempted a coup.
First recorded challenge to Athenian aristocrats.
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Tried to seize the Acropolis. Failed. Hid in temple of Athena.
Megacles and his Alcmaeonid followers inherited a curse and were
exiled from the city. Even the bodies of buried Alcmaeonidae were
dug up and removed from the city limits.
Alcmaeonidae allegedly negotiated for an alliance with the Persians
during the Persian Wars, despite the fact that Athens was leading
the resistance to the Persian invasion.
Pericles and Alcibiades were Alcmaeonidae, and during the
Peloponnesian War the Spartans referred to the family curse in an
attempt to discredit Pericles.
Social Units of Athens:
Households ==> Clans ==> Villages ==> Tribes.
Oikos (Household):
Most family heads in Ancient Greece were
subsistence landowners. The property was held by
and transmitted through the oikos 'household', which
consisted of a family plus any free or slave
dependents.
It is from the Greek word oikos that we get the word
'economy'.
Genos (Clan):
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A group of ancient Greek families
claiming descent from a common ancestor
was known as the genos 'clan'. The
families of the genos shared religious
cults. Shared religion proved to be a
strong bond. It was the heads of the gene
(plural of genos) who arranged marriages.
It is from the Greek word genos that we
get words like the English 'gene'.
Phratry (Village):
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Thirty gene (clans) formed a phratry,
which Michael Grant says was probably
the equivalent of a village or city-ward.
Each phratry held an annual religious
festival in which it enrolled new members.
Phylai (Tribe):
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Three phratries formed a tribe or phylai headed by a
tribal king. The earliest known function of the tribes
was military.
Greek tribes were corporate bodies with their own
priests and officials, as well as military and
administrative units.
The English word 'phylum', used in Biology to
distinguish groups larger than species etc., is related to
the Greek word Phylai.
The original 4 phylai in
Athens were the:
Geleontes
Hopletes
Argadeis
Aegicoreis
Kings of Athens:
Early Athens had kings, like most other ancient citystates. These kings gradually morphed into less
permanent officials.
Social Classes:
Sameness led to a sense of relative equality and
enforced the idea that all tribesmen had rights.
Even so, equality was only relative. Society was
divided into 2 social classes.
The upper class sat in council with the king for major
problems and provided war leaders.
This reduced the need for a king who was also the
military leader.
Archons Replaced the
Kings of Athens:
Historical Progression of Top Officials in Athens:
King ==>
Polemarch & King ==>
Polemarch, King, & Civil affairs Archon ==>
Polemarch (military), First Archon (civil), and KingArchon (religion) ==>
Thesmothetai (3 other Archons)
Overview of Athenian
Archons
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594-558 – Solon
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550-527 – Pisistratus
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527-515 – Hipparchus
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515-508 – Hippias
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513-507 – Cleisthenes
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479-461 – Cimon
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461-429 – Pericles
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429-422 - Cleon
Draco
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The privileged eupatrid(aristocratic) few in Athens
had been making all the decisions for long enough.
By 621 B.C. the rest of the people of Athens were
no longer willing to accept arbitrary, oral rules of the
eupatrid thesmothetai 'those who lay down the law' and
judges.
Draco was appointed to write down the laws. Athens
may have been a late-comer to the written law code
since it may already have been done elsewhere in the
Hellenic world.
First Glimpse of legal System
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First written code. posted on wooden tablets, later on 3
sided pyramids.
Probably just a codification of existing practices/oral
law.
Comparable to Hammurabi's Code. Violation and
punishments clear.
Laws readily available to all. Empowering. In effect,
reduces power of aristocracy.
Probably written b/c of pressure from new hoplite
classes.
All his laws were repealed by Solon apart from those
dealing with homicide.
Problems Introduced by
the Law Code of Draco
The story goes that when asked about the harshness
of his punishments, Draco said the death penalty was
appropriate for stealing even so much as a cabbage.
If there had been a worse penalty than death, Draco
would gladly have applied it to greater crimes.
Draco
As a result of Draco's strict, unforgiving code, the
adjective based on the name Draco -- draconian -refers to penalties considered excessively severe.
Slavery For Debt
Through the laws of Draco, those in debt could be
made slaves -- but only if they were members of the
lower class.
This means members of a genos (the gennetai) could
not be sold as slaves, yet their hangers-on (orgeones)
could.
Homicide
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Another result of the codification of laws
by Draco -- and the only part that
remained part of the legal code -- was the
introduction of the concept of "intention
to murder." Murder could be manslaughter
(either justifiable or accidental) or
intentional homicide. With the new law
code, Athens, as a city-state, would
intervene in what were formerly family
matters of blood-feuds.
Solon
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Solon, a lyric poet and the first Athenian literary figure
whose name we know, came from an aristocratic family
which traced its ancestry back 10 generations to
Hercules, according to Plutarch.
Aristocratic beginnings did not prevent him from fearing
that someone of his class would try to become tyrant.
In his reform measures, he pleased neither the
revolutionaries who wanted the land redistributed nor
the landowners who wanted to keep all their property
intact.
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He instituted the seisachtheia by which he
canceled all pledges where a man's
freedom had been given as guarantee,
freed all debtors from bondage, made it
illegal to enslave debtors, and put a limit on
the amount of land an individual could own
Solon's Modest Social
Reforms
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While Solon enacted compromises and democratic reforms, he
kept the social organization of Attica and the Athenians, the
clans and tribes.
Following the end of his archonship, political factions and
conflict developed.
One side, the men of the Coast (consisting mainly of the
middle classes and peasants), favored his reforms.
The other side, the men of the Plain (consisting mainly of
Eupatrids 'nobles'), favored restoration of an aristocratic
government.
Plutarch records Solon's
own words about his
actions:
"The mortgage-stones that covered her, by me
Removed, -- the land that was a slave is free;
that some who had been seized for their debts he had
brought back from other countries, where
-- so far their lot to roam, They had forgot the
language of their home;
and some he had set at liberty, -Who here in shameful servitude were held."
Solon’s Reforms:
Background Analysis
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Caveat: Herodotus and Plutarch are the main source of information, yet they wrote
about Solon hundreds of years after his death.
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Born a Eupatrid – aristocrat
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A poet, inspired by Tyraetus.
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Became a trader. Worldly.
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Unlike Hammurabi, Lycurgus, and Draco, Solon made no claim that God bestowed
these laws upon him.
During Solon's time, many city-states saw tyrants seize power.
Solon’s Reforms:
Background II
Inherits a divided and tumultuous system. A system in Crisis:
A.
Economic/ideological rivalry
B.
Clan rivalry
C.
Regional rivalry - 'Athens was torn by recurrent conflict about
the constitution. The city was divided into as many parties as
there were geographical divisions in its territory. For the party
of the people of the hills was most in favour of democracy, that
of the people of the plain was most in favour of oligarchy, while
the third group, the people of the coast, which preferred a mixed
form of constitution somewhat between the other two, formed
an obstruction and prevented the other groups from gaining
control.’ – Plutarch’s Lives
Solon’s Reforms:
Background
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Many Athenians had become debt slaves. Why?
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Soil depletion
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Deforestation
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Natural evolutionary process of winners and losers as happens in
times of great change
E. Tyrannies est. in Megara & Corinth
A + B + C + D + E = Impetus to experiment and change. Solon
becomes Sole Archon for 1 year. Why Solon?
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Mil hero vs. Megara
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A wise poet
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A Moderate. The message of the Delphic Oracle, which was at the
height of its power these days, was moderation.
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New social arrangement. Based on
wealth, not birth.
Timocracy – power based on land
ownership and wealth.
Reduced kinship ties
Solon’s Constitutional
Reforms
Grain
Military Role
Production
Title
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Pentakosiomedimnoi
500+
Eligible to be Strategoi
Hippeas
300-500
Cavalry
Zeugatai
200-300
Hoplites/Infantry
Thetes
<200
Volunteered as batman, slingers, or
naval rowers.
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Solon’s Constitutional Reforms
Boule / Council of 400
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Upper house
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Each of 4 tribes elect 100
members
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Arconship – 9 + 1
Areopagus – aristocratic council /
Council of Elders
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Sets agenda for Ekklesia.
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Consisted of former
archons
Ekklesia
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1-3 allowed in (no Thetes)
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Annual elections
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Final decisions on
legislation, war and peace
Meets 3-4 times/month
Power reduced by Solon.
Transferred to Boule
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43,000 people. However,
only those wealthy enough
to spend time away from
home would have been able
to participate
Heleai – Judicial Branch
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6000 jurors
All cases except treason
and murder
Solon’s Economic Reforms
Repealed Draco’s Code
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Seisachtheia, "shaking-off of burdens”
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Annulment of all contracts based on debt
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Prohibition of debt slavery.. Released debt slaves
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Debt slaves in Diaspora allowed home
No Radical Land Reform
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Tantamount to civil war
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Solon’s moderation
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Land to be divided up among sons. Not only to eldest. → Democratized land
ownership. ↑Democ.
Encouraged cash crop system. Olives → Empire…
Solon’s Economic
Reforms
Monetary Reform
Competitiveness of Athenian commerce. Uniform weights
and measures.
Encouraged production and export of pottery.
Graduated income tax
Offered citizenship to for skilled workers → economic
diversification
Legalized and taxed prostitution
Condemned pompous ceremonies and expensive
sacrifices
Sons of battle dead to be educated at states’ expense
Factionalism in Solonian
Athens
Solon realized that the city was often split by
factional disputes but that citizens were content
because of idleness to accept whatever the
outcome might be; he therefore produced a
specific law against them, laying down that anyone
who did not choose one side or the other in such
a dispute should lose his citizen rights.
-Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians
Conclusions :
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Father of Athenian Democ?
By end of 5th C, most Athenians had a small plot of land
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A time of peace
Too moderate? Frieze on temple of Apollo at Delphi, “Nothing in Excess” attributed to
Solon.
Make everyone unhappy, but kept peace. Persuaded rich and poor to compromise.
Forestalled revolution. “Radicals criticized him for failing to establish equality of
possessions and power; conservatives denounced him for admitting the commoners to the
franchise and the courts.” (Durant, 117)
Asked if he had given Athenians the best laws he replied, “no, but the best that they would
receive.” (Durant, 117)
Asked what is good government, he replied “when the people obey the rulers, and the
rulers obey the laws.”
Solonian Reforms: Conclusions
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challenged power of aristocrats
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↑ political competition
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↑ political participation
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↑ factionalism
Peralia
Pediakoi
Diakroi
Region
S&W Shores
C - Plains
E – Mountains
Ideology
Class
Moderates Mid ClassTraders
Aristocrats Rich
Radicals
Poor
Supported
Solon
Lycurgus
Pisistratus
Solonian Reforms: Conclusions
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After completing his reforms, Solon surrendered his
extraordinary authority and left Athens. Self-imposed exile for
10 years so he would not be tempted to become a Tyrant.
According to Herodotus, Athens was bound by Solon to
maintain his reforms for 10 years (Plutarch says 100 years).
According to Plutarch, Solon was related to the tyrant
Pisistratus (their mothers were cousins)
Returned to Athens in 546. Saw his constitution overthrown,
and Tyranny established.
1 of 7 Athenian Wise men
Pisistratus: A Special
Kind of Tyrant
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Maintained Solon’s reforms and pol. structures. Tyrannical enforcement
of Solonic democracy. Stacked his men in positions of power.
Objective: to reduce factional/class tensions. Methods:
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For the rich:
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Some control of Areopagus
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Maintain archonships
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Allies with Tyrants and develops trading networks
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Attic exports to Ionia, Cyprus, Syria, and Spain
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Est. colonies in Dardanelles
Pisistratus: A Special
Kind of Tyrant
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For the poor:
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Cut taxes for poor
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Est. 5% tax on ag. production. 1st tax in Athens.
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Gave away state owned land
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Est. circuit courts
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Athenian beautification-aqueducts, roads, temples…
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Mining at Larium
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Promoted arts
Legacy of Pisistratus
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Est. Panatheniac: brought competition, honor, and foreigners.
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Est. library
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Established coinage (owls)
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“So Pisistratus took over the power in Athens; yet he in no way deranged the existing
magistracies or the ordinances but governed the city well and truly according to the laws
that were established.” (Herodotus, 1.59)
Pisistratus died 527 BCE, succeeded by his eldest son, Hippias. Hippias and his
brother, Hipparchus, ruled the city like father did.
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Hipparchus murdered at Panathenaic Games by Aristogeiton, who was competing
for the affections of young Harmodius. Tried to kill Hippias also.
Hippias became paranoid and oppressive. Espionage and terror.
The Alcmaeonids, led by Cleisthenes, deposed Hippias by bribing the Delphic oracle
to tell the Spartans to liberate Athens, which they did in 510 The Pisistratids not
executed, but forced into exile.
Mystic Chords of
Memory
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Harmodius and
Aristogeiton become
democratic liberators in
Athenian democratic
ideology
Phases of Construction in Athens
Revolution in Athens, 508
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Power struggle b/w:
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Isagoras (Alcmaeonid aristocrat)
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Cleisthenes (Dem reformer)
Boule resists Cleisthenes
Spartan King Cleomenes and Isagoras
occupy Athenian Acropolis
Athenians unite, besiege Acropolis
Cleomenes surrenders, withdraws;
Cleisthenes assumes power in Athens
Herodotus on the
Revolution
(5.72)
After the fall of the tyranny, there was a struggle between Isagoras and
Cleisthenes, who was of the family of the Alcmaeonids. When
Cleisthenes lost power in the political clubs, he won the support of the
people by promising them control of the state. The power of Isagoras
waned in turn, and he called in [the Spartan king] Cleomenes again, for he
had ties of friendship with him. He persuaded him to ‘expel the curse,’ for
the Alcmaeonids were thought to be amongst the accursed. Cleisthenes
retired into exile, and Cleomenes arrived with a few men and expelled 700
Athenian families as being under the curse. Having done this, he tried to
dissolve the Council (Boulē) and to put Isagoras and 300 of his friends in
control of the city. The Council resisted and the people gathered; the
supporters of Cleomenes and Isagoras fled to the Acropolis. The
people surrounded them and besieged them for two days; on the third they
let Cleomenes and all those with him go under a truce, and recalled
Cleisthenes and the other exiles. The people had taken control of affairs,
and Cleisthenes was their leader and champion of the people.
Cleisthenic Athens 513-507: Political
Reforms I
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Cleisthenes was the uncle of Pericles' mother Agariste
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“Father of Athenian democracy.” Increased power of Ekklesia and reduced power of nobility
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Cleisthenes called his reforms isonomia ("equality under law", iso = equality; nomos = law), NOT
demokratia.
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New Const. of 507
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Council of 500 (Boule)
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From 400 members under Solon, to 500 members, 50 from each tribe
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1 month term (10 months)
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not eligible for re-election for 10 years
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Each tribe presides for 1/10 of the year
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Met everyday
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Functions:
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Elect the Generals
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Proposals to Assembly
Stays like this for rest of Athenian history
Cleisthenic Athens 513-507: Political
Reforms II
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Ekklesia / Assembly
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Lower House
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30,000
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Met 40 times/year on Pynx
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Remarkably powerful
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Sovereign in foreign policy decisions
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Elect the Strategoi
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Voted on laws proposed by Boule
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New power of Ostracism
10 Strategoi (Generals). 1 per tribe. Serve 1 year. Re-electable.
Dikasteria — law courts reorganized and had from 201–5001 jurors
selected each day, up to 500 from each tribe
Ostracism
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Vote once/year
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>6000 (1 in 3 Athenians)
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Only 1/year
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Most years none
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Democracy
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Eliminate dangers
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Not “guilty”. Family and land
unharmed
Civil democratic device?
“Safety valve” promoted unity
and minimized the threat of civil
war
10 men in 90 years
The Pynx
Model of the Pnyx
Cleisthenic Sociopolitical Reorganization
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Changed the political organization
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From 4 traditional tribes, based on family relations
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To 10 tribes according to their area of residence (their deme).
139 demes organized into thirty groups called trittyes ("thirds"), with ten demes divided among three
regions in each trittye. Each tribe now has people in coast, mountain, and plain.
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Gives demes names and heroes
Residents of demes, some foreign born, now citizens of demes. Doubled the voting role. Secured
new supports and a broader base.
Revolutionized classification system. No longer, “I am Cleisthenes, son of Megacles.” Now, “I am
Cleisthenes from Ion.”
Alcmaeonids diffused through 3 tribes, weakening clan power
“He first divided all the citizens into ten tribes instead of the earlier four, with the aim of mixing them
together so that more might share control of the state.” Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians,
21
Compare to Soviet dekulakization
Demes of Attica
Analysis of Cleisthenic Reforms
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Slaves, women, resident aliens, and Thetes are NON
participants.
A “Hoplite democ”, not a Thete const. Nonlandholders were marginalized (timocracy)
Radical for its time. Not revolutionary.
Rulers have much to fear: Spartans, Persians,
ostracism, democracy, aristocracy…
Isonomia breaks down regional loyalties to forge
Athenian civic democratic identity
Provided a sense of ownership and Athenian pride 12
years before the Battle at Marathon
We’ll analyze Athenian democ after we study Pericles…
Conclusions?
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Questions?
Your assessment of Athens?
Lessons from Athens?
Legacy of Athens?
Comparisons with Sparta?
Ancient Greece
The main political rivalry within the Greek cities was that
between Athens and Sparta
The other political threat they faced was that between
the Greeks and the “barbarians” (anyone not Greek,
particularly the Persians to the north)
Definition
Democracy derives
from the ancient
Greek, “demokratia”:
demos = the
people
kratien = to rule
Definition
Meant to distinguish the idea that it is the people
collectively, not any class, family, or group that rules
Definition
Other types of government derived from Greek base:
Aristocracy:
Rule by the best
Monarchy:
Rule by one person
Oligarchy:
Rule by the wealthy
Timocracy:
Rule by the honorable
Tyranny:
Rule by the rulers, for the rulers
Democratic Rule
For “The People” to rule we need:
Equality
how dow we define that?
Freedom
how dow we define that?
Engagement
what type? and how?
Questions of Democracy
Who are “The People?”
Questions of Democracy
How do “the people” rule?
Questions of Democracy
How do we know what the people want?
Questions Democracy
What areas should we allow the people to rule?
Questions of Democracy
Why do we think
“the People” will make
good political
decisions?
Athenian Democracy
The last of the 3 great
Athenian tragedians
Euripides
c. 485-407 BCE
Pericles
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Pericles (c. 485-429 BCE)
Legendary Athenian
leader
Champion of the arts
and sciences, and
renowned
military/political
leader
Led Athens into the
Peloponnesian War
Pericles
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Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) pits
Sparta and its allies against Athens
Peloponnesian War
Peloponnesian War
In 415, Athens attacks Syracuse in Sicily, in
move to gain control over the whole island
•Resounding defeat, democracy collapses in
Athens (411)
•Sparta, with aid from Persia, builds its navy
•405 surprise attack from Sparta on docked
Athenian navy; all but 9 ships destroyed,
thousands killed
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Peloponnesian War
Spring 404, Athens
surrenders
•Sparta forces it to
tear down walls
•Remove fortress
around Pireaus (its
main port)
•Navy reduced to 12
ships
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The Funeral Oration