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ATHENS Archaic Period (750-490 BCE) City-state ruled by basileus (king) Central polis (city) in Attica, agriculturally rich, excellent harbor for trade/shipping Areopagus (beginning 700s BCE) Hill where council of nobles met, becomes oligarchy (rule by the few) as nobles’ wealth & power increases Position of king disappears Elects 9 archons (rulers) to run city, submit veto to entire body of Areopagus Nobles control wine & olive oil production Increasingly poor and disenfranchised wheat farming peasants forced into slavery to pay debts Solon’s Reforms (590) Drastic, nearly revolutionary situation due to disparity between rich & poor Solon granted tyranny (temporary sole ruler above the law) to solve the problem Dismisses debts, frees Athenians sold into slavery, bans slavery as security for loans, brings Athenians home, encourages oil & wine production for all Creates 4 classes based on wealth: 1st & 2nd most wealthy serve on Areopagus; 3rd elected to council of 400 (100 each for 4 Athenian tribes) and serve as semi-check to Areopagus; 4th participate in Assembly, vote on affairs brought by Council of 400, elect local magistrates, oversee judicial courts Peisistratus & Sons Hippias and Hipparchus (560-510) Peisistratus becomes tyrant as democracy collapses again, passes power to sons P. uses mercenary army to back up political control as tyrant P. conducts massive building campaigns, cultural & religious reforms to est. unity & cultural identity, patronizes poets, playwrights, artists P. reduces power of nobility and increases power of Assembly & poorest classes Sons Hippias & Hipparchus take over tyranny on death of P. in 527 (thus hereditary monarchy) 514 Hipparchus assassinated by Harmodius & Aristogeiton over lover’s quarrel, Hippias flees to Persia after Spartans help Athenians oust Hippias Spartan Involvement (510-508) King Cleomenes I directs Spartan defeat of Hippias, assisted by Alcmaeonid family of Athens Spartans install Isagoras as tyrant despite being rival of Alcmaeonids; Isagoras disenfranchises many of citizenship rights Cleisthenes of Alcmaeonid family instigates popular revolt to overthrow Isagoras Spartans invade 2nd time, Cleisthenes flees Second popular revolt restores Cleisthenes to power Cleisthenes (508-502) C’s reforms finalize Athenian democracy Enfranchises (gives right to vote) to all free men in Athens & Attica Establishes council of executive and administrative control (all citizens over 30 serve on it) Assembly (all male citizens) can veto council and declare war Economy focused on cash crops for export, crafts (such as pottery) Athens becomes center for art, architecture, literature (state patronage) Religious festivals largely established and regularized by this point Ostracism (489) Last element of Athenian democracy, developed to prevent tyranny One person per year voted into exile for 10 years by Assembly, votes cast on ostraka (pottery sherds), subject to manipulation (pre-written ostraka handed out to illiterate voters)