Download File - EDSS Ancient Civilizations

Steps to Democracy
• City-state was controlled by the land-owning
aristocracy
• Provided military backbone (only ones who could
afford armour)
• Governed through a council led by three
officials
• Nobles often put their interests ahead of other
inhabitants
• Citizens who were not nobles were powerless
• System brought resentment
• Merchants demanded more political power
• Small farmers forced into debt due to poor
harvests
• Had to sell to a nobleman and become a tenant or a
slave
• Skilled tradesmen resented their inability to
become citizens
• All this discontent led to violence
• 621 BCE: Athenian officials appointed
Draco to draw up a written code
• Wanted to prevent a civil war
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Law was very harsh (death penalty for many offences)
Public law – to be applied equally to all classes
Came up with the idea of “intent” in murder cases
Did not work out so well… still violence over next 25
years
• Any debtor whose status was lower
than that of his creditor was forced
into slavery
• Death penalty appropriate for
stealing even as little as a cabbage
• Plutarch:
It is said that Drakon himself, when
asked why he had fixed the punishment
of death for most offences, answered that
he considered these lesser crimes to
deserve it, and he had no greater
punishment for more important ones.
• 594 BCE: Next person chosen to ease tensions
• Archon = special magistrate to problem-solve
between aristocrats and common citizens
• Proposed that citizens could decide local issues
• Underlying principle of democracy!
• Abolished debt slavery
• Freed citizens previously forced to sell selves into slavery
• Limited amount of land someone could buy
• Extended citizenship to some skilled immigrants
• Limited exports of grain to solve food shortages
• Started Athens on the path to becoming a great trade centre
• Ordinary citizens gained greater political power
• All wealthy men (aristocrat or not) allowed to run for gov’t offices
• Council of 400
• 100 citizens from each of the 4 traditional tribes elected to prepare
legislation to be voted on by the Citizen Assembly
• Reformed Draco’s law code
• Citizens could bring issues against
other citizens to court
• Tried by other citizens who owned
property
• 560 BCE: Took power after continual tensions surrounding land
ownership
• Tyrannos (tyrant) = one who seizes power unconstitutionally (for good or
bad)
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Used a coup that was popular with the people
Took land from nobles and gave to peasants
Reduced nobles’ privileges
Added buildings to the Acropolis
Trade and business thrived
At death in 527 BCE, power handed to son Hippias
• 508 BCE: Overthrew Peisistratus’ son after Spartan
siege of Athens in 510 BCE
• Organized people into 10 tribes based on area of residence
• Council of 500
• Gov’t leaders chosen by lot, not blood
• Introduced ostracism
• Anyone thought to be a threat to Athens was exiled
for 10 years
• Set Athens on path to democracy
• “demos” (people); “kratos” (rule)
• 461-429 BCE: leader of Athens
• Army General
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Claimed to be “the first citizen of Athens”
Turned Athens into an empire
Promoted arts and literature
Athens became the cultural and educational centre of
the Greek world
• Built up Acropolis even more – Parthenon
• “Created” Athenian democracy
• Critics say he catered too much to the people
• Every male citizen over 18 had the right
to speak
• Met about every 10 days
• At least 6,000 citizens had to be present
for a meeting to take place
• If not enough present, police sent out to gather
more
• Debated and voted on laws drawn up by
the Council
• Majority rule
• Possible decisions:
• Tax increases for necessary services
• Foreign policy and military operations
• Drew up new laws to be
debated and voted on by the
Assembly
• Made up of 500 citizens
• 50 from each of the 10 tribes
of Athens
• Councillors chosen each year
by lot
• Responsible for day-to-day
running of the state
• 9 chosen each year by lot
• Performed ceremonial duties
• 10 military commanders
chosen on basis of merit from
the 10 tribes of Athens
• Elected every year, could be
re-elected
• Implemented laws decided by
Council and Assembly
• Accountable to Assembly for
actions and money spent