Download Greek Democracy

Dr. Fredricksmeyer

World of the Ancient Greeks

The World's First Democracy and its Dystopian Elements

Greek world in general by 600: Mycenaean Age monarchy (basileus)

Dark Ages

aristocracy (archontes, sing. archon)

Archaicl Period tyranny (tyrannnos)

The last stage resulted approximately as follows (see Archaic Period): (1) Greater equitation of wealth/increasing middle class (2) Democratization of warfare (hoplite panoply)/increasing military role of middle class (3) Increasing middle class political demands against aristocracy (4) Middle class support for tyrant opposed to (other) aristocrats

Athens by 600 highly unstable, and on verge of tyranny: (1)-(3) above (i.e. middle vs. upper class), and … A. (additional) inter-class conflict (lower vs. upper class) tenant farmers slaves in Attica slaves abroad B. intra-class conflict (upper vs. upper class) regional/clan of the three regions: coast, city, inland Solon (an archon) reforms of 594/3-eunomia: (a) economic cancelled all debts on land and persons repatriated debtor-slaves outlawed future loans made on security of person outlawed wage labor for another citizen (b) constitutional divided society into 4 classes by wealth (not birth): "bushelmen" gave even lowest classes/socio-economic groups share in governance, through the Assembly Question: why aristocracy allows these reforms 1. things about to blow 2. no real political loss 3. no real economic loss key role of SLAVERY in the evolution of democracy Yet, important step toward democracy: separated class/political power from birth

ethos of equality slavery agrarian equality ethos of participation precedent of compromise by upper class Tyranny-Peisistratids Peisistratus represented poor and disaffected hill party (vs. city and coast)-extreme democrats after three failed coups d'états, establishes self as tyrant in 546 Moderate rule Coinage: famous 4-drachma "Attic owls"-helps stimulate economy Sets stage for intellectual revolution of the classical period: Lyric (see Wine, Women and Song) Epic Tragedy (see Irrationalism) Thespis 535 Great Dionysia Art and architecture (see Idealism) Policies (pro-democratic): supported non-aristocratic population promoted civic (rather than clan) identity Panathenaic games maintains Solon's constitution (classification by wealth rather than birth)

Hippias Takes over from dad upon his death in 528 Tyrannicide: Hipparchus killed in 514 Harmodious and Aristigeiton Increasingly oppressive rule expelled with help of Spartans in 510

Democracy-Kleisthenes (508) Isonomia (1) undermines regional/clan (coast, city, inland) ties: 10 tribes (ethnos) named after Attic heroes each divided into 3 sections (trittys) each section made up of blocs of neighborhoods (deme) from the three regions: coast, city, inland

For example

Tribe of Theseus

1 trittys (1/3 section) made up of demes (neighborhoods) from coast region

x 10

1 trittys (1/3 section) made up of demes (neighborhoods) from city region

1 trittys (1/3 section) made up of demes (neighborhoods) from inland region

Citizens now identified by demotic rather than patronymic ostracism: safeguard against tyranny (2) offices open to everyone/all socio-economic classes, power of archons diminished, and that of Assembly now paramount Chief legislative and judicial bodies bodies: Council (boulê) of 500 set agenda for Assembly in Prytany of 50 met in the bouleterion boarded in the Tholos Assembly (ekklesia) of all male citizens 40 regular meetings a year attended by 6,000 met on the Pnyx make all policy decisions, determine all laws (DIRECT DEMOCRACY) Areopagus (where they met) of 9 archons stripped of most powers under aristocratic rule tried deliberative homicide Draco's code (621) Extreme limitations of Athenian democracy: 85% of population excluded women and children metics (resident aliens) slaves

Success of Athenian Democracy Distribution of wealth (1/5) Stability Set stage for classical period By far largest percentage of population to share rule up to this time in history Model for American democracy Women (see Wine, Women, and Song) Children (free-born) Exposed at birth, if weak and sickly, and sometimes if female Otherwise rejoicing Girls growing up typically received less food Toys (rattles, clay animals, dolls, hobby horses, yo-yos, swings), games (leap frog, field hockey), chores But must have had to grow up more quickly due to life expectancy (vs. adultescents) But no clear concept of children as other than little people, child psychology, etc. as evidenced in part by art, where look like miniature adults Not till Émil by Rousseau (18th century), Slaves c. 25-40% of total population (100k in mid-5th cent.) Women, men, children Foreign and Greek not based on ethnicity Non-racist basis (herod and the Ethiopians) Bought from parents Taken in war Children of slave-parents Rights extremely limited Can't marry Can't own property Testimony acceptable only after torture Treatment-extremely varied: domestic slaves in Athens indistinguishable in dress and appearance from citizens The Old Oligarch Euripides some lived on own low-high positions: paidagogoi, doctors, teachers, architects some bought freedom in mines (e.g. at Laurium) worked to death in brutal conditions key to advent of Greek democracy (see above)