Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens

Center of Democracy?

•At the end of the “Dark Age” (c. 800 bce), the land of Athens was in the possession of a few “tribes” or families of eupatridae (the “well born”).

•From these eupatridae came the members who formed the Areopagus, a council of elders who made religious, military, and civil decisions.

•Power had been passed down through heredity, although this would change around 700 bce.

•With a policy of unification, the leaders of Athens “unified” (annexed and absorbed) the surrounding cities of Attica in 8th century bce.

Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens

Center of Democracy?

The ingredients of discord:

1. Threats from withouti. War

2. Competing demands withini. Tribal affiliationii. Eupatridaeiii. Upper Class aristocracyiv. Different mechanisms of governmentv. Middle Class excluded from politicsvi. Poor excluded from politics

i. debt and bondagevii. Some excluded from citizenship

altogether

Conflict between tribes

Conflict the eupatridae and the aristocracy

Conflict between the aristocracy and the poor

Conflict between those included in politics and those excluded

Potential conflicts…

Conflict between Athenians and non-Athenians

Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens

Stages of Athenian Government

Four tribes and tribal kings(pre-700 bce)

Eupatrid oligarchy(700 – 600)

Reform and Tyranny

Early democratic reforms

Delian League

Empire

Solon(594– 561)

Peisistratus and sons(561 – 510)

Cleisthenes(510 – 462)

“Radical” democracy

Ephialtes and Pericles

(461 – 429)

Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens

Stages of Athenian Government

Four tribes and tribal kings(pre-700 bce)

Eupatrid oligarchy(700 – 600)

Reform and Tyranny

Solon(594– 561)

“The demos rose up in revolt against the elites” – Aristotle, Athenian Politics

“There was fierce political struggle, and for a long time [the Athenians] fought each other” – Plutarch, Solon

"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."

Ancient Greece: Rise of AthensSolon’s reforms

•In 594, Solon appointed chief archon to mediate crisis•Created four “classes” based on wealth•Access to public offices now dependent upon wealth, not birth•Poor, indebted laborers freed and debts forgiven; enslavement for debt is abolished•Changed the way archons were selected

Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens

Stages of Athenian Government

Four tribes and tribal kings(pre-700 bce)

Eupatrid oligarchy(700 – 600)

Reform and Tyranny

Solon(594– 561)

Peisistratus and sons(561 – 510)

“The demos rose up in revolt against the elites” – Aristotle, Athenian Politics

“There was fierce political struggle, and for a long time [the Athenians] fought each other” – Plutarch, Solon

Peisistratus contends for power with two other elites and wins…and then loses…and then wins…and then loses…and the wins, finally.

508 bce: Spartans and exiled elites attack and overthrow Hippias, Pesistratus’ son

They were joined by “those Athenians who wished to be free” - Herodotus

The four classes1. Pentacosiomedimnoi (could serve as Strategoi)2. Hippeis (could afford and serve as cavalry)3. Zeugitai (could afford Hoplite shields and to serve as infantry)4. Thetes (the poorest; often were servants or “sharecroppers”)

Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens

Solon’s reforms

Under Cleisthenes•Cleisthenes abolishes the original four tribes•Creates a number of “demes,” based on geography•Creates ten tribes

Under Pericles