Download Reenactment of the Athenian Assembly 483 BCE

Arguments For and Against a Navy: Create a List
After lunch, you will be participating in the Athenian assembly as it debates and
votes on the proposal to build a navy that, in fact, was put forward by Themistocles in
483 BC.
Each and every citizen will be required to speak, and make a substantial contribution
to the debate, at least once.
You will be allocated on to a team: ‘for’; ‘against’ or ‘undecided’. Obviously, the goal
of the ‘for’ team and the ‘against’ team is to persuade the undecided citizens before
the vote is held.
As well as being allocated to a team, you will be given a name and you might be given
a little back-story which may influence how you operate in the assembly.
However, you won’t know your name, back story or team until shortly before the
assembly begins. So, to prepare you need to make a list of all the arguments
you can think of for and against Themistocles’ proposal. Some of the
arguments in your lists will reflect the different perspectives and interests of different
groups within the Athenian citizenry.
In preparing your lists of arguments for and against Themistocles’ proposal, you
should:
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Consult the work we did last week, particularly the Bradley and Plutarch
handouts we looked at last Thursday and the questions we answered on them.
Also, refer to the notes you took on the PBS documentary, ‘The Golden Age’.
Remember that Themistocles’ framed the threat that warranted a navy as
Aegina, which Athens was at war with in 483 BC.
Bear in mind that the nature of military power has ramifications for the nature
of political power.
Remember that there is a personal element to all this. Themistocles has a past
and has gained friends and foes.
A Mock Athenian Assembly
It’s 483 BC and the sun is rising on the Pnyx, the hill, overlooked by the Acropolis,
where Athenians held their assemblies. The first assembly of the prytany (month) is
about to begin…
1) The herald makes the opening prayer.
2) The president of the prytaneis chairs the assembly. He announces that there
is a proposal for a decree regarding the expenditures of revenues from the
recently discovered silver mine at Laureium. He reads out the proposal.
3) The president asks “Who wishes to speak?” Themistocles eagerly raises his
hand and the president grants him the opportunity to speak first.
4) After Themistocles speaks, the president will decide who speaks. Those who
wish to speak should raise their hands. The president will seek to alternate
between a speaker for the motion and a speaker against it.
5) Each speaker should announce their name before they speak.
When debate has exhausted itself, there will be a vote by show of hands. If the vote is
tied, the president shall vote.