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ESSAY- what were the developments in the Athenian democracy and why?
By 454BC Athens had discontinued meetings of the delian league in the island of
Delos. The treasury had
been removed from safekeeping to Athens and the threat of Persian aggression had
considerably diminished.
The consolidation of Athenian dominance of the league earmarked the
transformation of the delian league into
the Athenian democracy. The development of democracy in Athens aimed to
distribute power in the
population and give all people a greater input into the election and ostracism
of the people in power.
In the late 6th century the Athenian statesman kleisthenes made major changes to
the Athenian system of
government. The area of Athens and Attica had previously been divided into four
tribes. Government and
public life were controlled by the aristocratic families. Kleisthenes reforms
attempted to break this
stranglehold by dividing Attica into 139 demes. He then organized ten new
tribes, each consisting of several
demes. The council was enlarged from 400-500 members. The method of selection
was by lot and fifty
members from each tribe were elected into the council. The ekklesia acquired
wider powers, thus giving more
power to the citizens as opposed to the aristocracy. Athenian democracy was
later developed by remolding the
isonomia (equality before the law) of kleisthenes.
In about 500BC, ten strategos were elected annually, therefore a role where
position, skill, experience and
popularity mattered. About 487BC it was determined that the office of archon,
hitherto a position selected by
popular vote, should now be determined by lot. This method of sortition
inevitably lessened the prestige of the
office, and the popularity elected strategos eventually assumed the prestige
formerly held by the office of
archon. By the time of Pericles, the strategos was the most important office in
the democratic structure. There
were radical changes made to the Athenian constitution by Kleisthenes in the 6th
century BC. The old
aristocracy had monopolised the political system in Athens, the objective of the
changes were to give all
Athenians a part in the election of local and state officials and were a step
towards representative government.
Athens was greatly affected by the Persian wars and the aftermath of those wars.
Significant changes were
made to internal government in Athens. The changes that took place in 500-450
were part of the
democratization process, but also a response to the Persian wars and as
consequences of the growing
imperialism of Athens. The political changes that occurred in this period. In
the first half of the 5 th century,
Athens developed from land power to become the leading maritime state in Greece.
Simultaneously, Athens
underwent major political changes that revolutionized and transformed the state
from a moderate to radical
democracy. Men in Athens became conspicuous in Athenian political life through
their social and familial
reputation. However changes occurred where Athens became more democratic with
the introduction of a
system of changes that allowed greater participation by ordinary citizens. This
is referred to as radical
democracy. A significant change had occurred during the Persian wars. It became
clear that political power
laid with the class best able to defend the state. The navy was successful in
the Persian wars and the thetes
demanded greater political power, which led to radical democracy. Throughout the
fifth century Themistocles
helped Athens developed a large maritime empire based on trade, which gave the
navy and himself a lot of
power.
Supporters of radical democracy include Ephialties, who made various changes to
the democratic position of
Athens. He removed the influence of the Areopagus, “…they deprived the Areopagus
of all but a few of
the issues which had been under its jurisdiction. He accused and impeached
individual Areopagites for
corruption and fraudulent practices. They lost the Power to punish magistrates
for misconduct Power to
supervise the administration of the state. Duty of seeing laws were obeyed.
Right to investigate the lives of
private citizens. These powers were transferred to the Boule, Ecclesia and
Heliaea. Functions retained by the
Areopagus were: Jurisdiction over cases of intentional homicide Supervision of
religious ceremonies.
Ephialties reforms gave more control of the state to the masses and earned him
the ire of aristocrats. He was
assassinated- unsure whether he wanted to make more reforms or not.
Pericles also supported radical democracy. According to Aristotle he introduced
three primary reforms into
Athens, “Pericles was the first to introduce payment for services on the law
courts”, Reduced the power
of the Areopagus further – introducing limiting reforms that allowed people more
freedom. “The constitution
became even more democratic. He took away some of the powers of the Areopagus
and, what is more
important, he turned Athens definitely towards its sea power” –Aristotle
Confusion had arisen about powers of the archons. In 501BC the strategos had
taken some of the archons
functions. The battle of marathon demonstrated the ambiguity surrounding the
relationship between the
archon and the strategos. Callimachus the pole march was technically in charge
but the strategos Miltiades
had been elected by popular vote due to his military background. The change of
archonship gave the ekklesia
more control over the army. Athens underwent major political changes that
revolutionised and transformed
the state from a moderate to a radical democracy. 462 BC Ephialties pushed a law
that deprived the
Areopagus of all its functions save that of being a court for homicide. The
archons became answerable to the
Boule, not the Areopagus. 458 BC Archonship became a paid office, 457 BC the
hoplites were admitted to
the archonship, sometime after the thetes were also admitted. Democratic move to
allow poorer citizens and
the elderly to participate. These reforms had all been designed to end the
aristocratic rule in Athens. Athenian
democracy depended on aristocratic leadership. The office of strategos became
the most important military
and political position, for the generals gained the command of the fleet and the
army. After the formation of
the Delian League the strategos were also the commanders of the military and
naval forces of the League. By
decreasing the importance of the archons, this law also devalued the role of the
aristocratic council of the
Areopagus. With the hoplites and thetes now competing for the archonship, there
was an increased
opportunity for Athenians to participate and fewer distinguished men being
chosen. “The military offices can
be held repeatedly, but none of the others can, with the exception of Council
members who can belong to the
Council twice – aristotle.
Athenian democracy (democratia) allowed all adult male citizens to propose
legislation, debate and vote and
stand for office. Most official positions were determined by lot. The generals
(chief magistrates) were elected
by the citizens and the People’s courts had almost total jurisdiction. Factions
of Athenian Democracy
included the Assembly: Ecclesia (meetings of all male citizens over 18. Met
about 40 times a year) Passed
legislation, elected magistrates, empowered and heard reports of strategos.
Boule: Council of 500 (over 30
years; 50 citizens per tribe) Drafted bills, supervised strategoi elections,
inspected cavalry and naval ships,
tried magistrates, heard some criminal trials. Strategoi: 10 ‘Generals’
(military/naval commanders; convened
assembly; voted in) Could conduct preliminary negotiations with foreign states.
Were responsible to the
Ecclesia. Archons: Like magistrates (first two classes only initially; nine;
paid, various roles changes)
Administrative only. Areopagus: Ex-archons (Membership for life) Heard
homicide/arson cases, cared for
olive groves, could call magistrates to account for illegal acts. 461 - Graph
paranomen (Ephialtes), Introduced
law to enable any citizen to be questioned when they introduced a measure than
was in conflict with existing
law, The person bringing up graph paranomen would be rewarded and mover of
unconstitutional proposal
would be fined, However, if the graph paranomen did not get at least 1/5 of the
votes, they would be fined
1000 drachmas and loose civic rights. 451 - Laws restricting citizenship
(Pericles), Only people who’s parents
were both Athenian citizens were considered citizens - Reduced citizen numbers,
Pericles gained popularity –
Athenians felt part of an exclusive club
Another element in widening the democracy was the introduction of rotation of
office, so that politicians
could not hold office continuously and could not become dependant on state pay.
According to Aristotle’s, no
one could hold the same office twice except for the generals and the members of
boule; ‘the military offices
can be held repeatable, but none of the others can, with the exception of
council members who can belong to
council twice. The principle of selection by lot and rotation of office ensured
that a representative cross
section of the citizen took part in the government. This practice of rotation of
office can be seen in operation
at the battle of marathon, ‘the generals held the presiding position in
succession, each for day, and those of
them who had voted with Miltiades, offered, when their turn for duty came, to
surrender it to him’.
Ostracism - “this law had been enacted because of their suspicion of those in
power…” –Aristotle as well
as Plutarch belief that it was an attempt to keep people humble. “Each voter
took an ostrakon, or piece of
earthware, wrote on it the name of the citizen he wished to be banished and
carried it to a part of the
market place” – Plutarch. An institution where any Athenian who was regarded as
too powerful/dangerous
was sent into exile for ten years (though his family stayed and property
remained un-confiscated. People were
asked in the assembly if they wanted an ostracism to be held- if the answer was
positive it would be enacted
later. Ostraka (broken shard of pottery) had written on them the name of the
person who should be ostracised.
6000 citizens needed to vote for a person for the ostracism to be enacted.
Hignett suggests Themistocles was
the originator of ostracism law because he used it to eliminate his opponents
(Ostracism was a means of
offered the people a choice between their leaders). It was used by Athenian
leaders to “rid themselves of their
political opponents”. This Reveals importance of political leaders, and that
politics was driven by
personalities. The major change that occurred in 488/7 BC was the use of
ostracism. The source conflict about
who was responsible for formulation ostracism law. Shows how politics was driven
by personalities.
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