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ATHENS
Athens sits on a plain surrounded by mountains and lies 4 miles from the
Aegean Sea. It constructed a wall from its port in Piraeus to Athens to ensure safe
trade. In the early 500’s BC, Athens had become the most important Greek city-state
for two reasons: its democratic form of government and its strong arts program. It
had a silver mine which helped finance the social and military activities of the
Athenians. People came from all over Greece to enjoy the culture in Athens. Athens
was the cultural and commercial center of Greece.
COINS OF ATHENS
POLITICS: The democracy of Athens developed slowly. At first only male
landowners could be citizens. Free foreigners or metics were not allowed to own
land, therefore couldn’t participate in government.
In 620 BC, a tyrant named Draco came to power. He organized the laws of
Athens into a written law code. It was very harsh, but it stated the crime and its
punishment. These laws helped Athens to develop a government based on written
law.
Around 594 BC, a tyrant named Solon came to power. He improved the legal
system by making Draco’s laws less harsh. He also ended enslavement for debt. He
extended citizenship to non-Athenians. He also increased the size of the Assembly,
setting up a 2 house legislature, the Assembly and the Council of 500.
In 508 BC, the tyrant Cleisthenes came to power. He reorganized the social
classes, placed a limit on the amount of land a person could own, and began the
practice of ostracism(to banish or remove from a group or setting). By 507 BC all
free men were citizens and could participate in the government.
The government was made up of: the Assembly-- lawmaking body made up of
all free adult male citizens. All citizens were expected to participate, were equal
before the law, and had freedom of speech in the Assembly. Met 40 times per year
to debate, vote and act as a court. Council of 500--Made up of 50 people from each
of 10 districts in Athens. Administered everyday government of Athens. They were
chosen by lottery. Jury system--201 to 1001 members. Decided court cases. Juries
voted by dropping black disks into one jar (guilty) and white disks into another jar
(not guilty). Majority ruled.
Athens had a direct democracy--citizens take a direct part in the government
by voting and serving in Assembly and on courts. All served a one year term.
WHY???
ECONOMY--Most people in Athens were small independent farmers. They grew
wheat, olives, figs, and grapes. Athens also grew rich from its mines of iron, silver,
zinc, and lead. They had large marble quarries. Their currency was silver coins
with an owl on it. Trade was a main aspect of the Athenian economy. They traded
throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Most involved in Athenian trade were not
citizens(metics). Slaves and metics made the economy prosperous and made it
possible for a direct democracy to take place.
RELIGION--Polytheistic. The patron goddess of Athens was Athena, goddess of
wisdom.
SOCIAL CLASSES--There were 3 social classes--Citizens, metics, slaves. All three
classes included men, women, and children. Citizens were the families of free adult
males. They had full political rights. Metics were foreign born people. They were
often in Athens as diplomats, traders, or merchants. They had no political rights.
Slaves made up a majority of the population. 25-30% of Athens’ population
(300,000) were slaves. Most were “losers” because they had been born into slavery,
sold into slavery, or captured in a war. They did most of the labor in Athens. The
richer you were, the more slaves you owned.
Women had no rights in Athens.
INTELLECTUAL LIFE/EDUCATION-- Aim-- To be well rounded in all things-Intellectually, morally, and physically. Infanticide--decided by fathers within 10
days of birth when received name and enrolled as citizens.
Until were 6 or 7 boys were taught at home by the mother or a male slave. At
age 7, freeborn boys were to day school where they memorized Homeric poetry and
learned to play musical instruments, like the lyre. They also studied drama, public
speaking(rhetoric), reading, writing, math and gymnastics. They had to memorize
everything!! They were allowed to use tablets and rulers to write things down.
From 18-20, they attended military school were they were trained to be soldiers
and citizens. At 20, they became full citizens.
Girls--were taught to read and write at home by their mothers. They were
also taught simple math and how to manage a household. They had to stay in the
house and couldn’t even go to the market. They were usually married by 13.
Women had NO rights.
ARTS--Athens was known for its culture. Music was composed. Plays and
literature were written. Some plays were by Euripides and Sophocles. The great
philosophers, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were from Athens. The Athenians built
great temples like the Parthenon. They had great sculptors like Phidias who
sculpted idealized (perfect)statues like the statue of Athena in the Parthenon. Their
culture is often called Hellenic or classical.