Download Athens: Empire and Democracy (478

Valerij Gouschin,
Higher School of Economics - Perm
‘In the past half century it has often
seemed paradoxical, and to the politically
correct embarrassing, that Athens in the
second half of the fifth century was
democratic, and indeed a champion of
democracy in the Greek world, and
therefore admirable, but was also the head
of the greatest empire in which Greeks
controlled other Greeks, and therefore
deplorable’
Rhodes P.J. (2007) Democracy and empire // The Cambridge
Companion of the Age of Pericles. Cambridge. P. 24.
(a) Ancient Sources


Plutarch
And, henceforward, little by little, turning and drawing the
city down towards the sea, in the belief, that, whereas by
land they were not a fit match for their next neighbors,
with their ships they might be able to repel the Persians
and command Greece, thus, as Plato says, from steady
soldiers he turned them into mariners and seamen tossed
about the sea, and gave occasion for the reproach against
him, that he took away from the Athenians the spear and
the shield, and bound them to the bench and the oar
(Plut. Them. 4)
(b)Themistocles did not only knead up, as Aristophanes
says, the port and the city into one, but made the city
absolutely the dependent and the adjunct of the port,
and the land of the sea, which increased the power and
confidence of the people against the nobility; the
authority coming into the hands of sailors and boatswains
and pilots (Plut. Them. 19).
(c) Aristotle, Politics 1274 a12-15, 1304 a 21-24, cf.: 1321
a15-14, VII. 1327 a40-b15
Xenophon, Athenian Constitution, 1.2
(d) For he who owes his safety to the pilot and the
captain, and the oarsman, and all sorts of rather inferior
persons, cannot rightly give honour to whom honour is
due. But how can a state be in a right condition which
cannot justly award honour? (Plato, Leg 707 b).
P.Ceccarelli doubts that the idea of the
connection among the sea power (thalassocratie)
and democracy arose before the middle of the IV
Cent. B.C.
( Ceccarelli P. (1993) Sans thalassocratie, pas de démocratie? Le
rapporte entre thalassocratie et démocratie à Athènes dans la
discussion du V et IVe siècle av. J.-C. // Historia. Bd.43. H.4.)
 1)
Anti-democratic plot in time of Plataean
battle (Plut. Arist. 13)
 2) Democratic aspirations to democracy after
Xerxes’ invasion (Plut. Arist. 22)
 3) Anti-democratic feelings in time of
Tanagra battle (stop the Long Walls’
construction) (Thuc. I. 107. 1-5)
 V.
Buzescul: Themistocles’ Sea Program and
Democracy
 W.Schuller:
 Ch.Starr,
Empire and Democracy
B.Strauss, J.Ober: close connection
between Empire (Sea Power) and Democracy
 Aristotle
on Areopagus’ domination (478 –
462 B.C.) (Ath. Pol. 23. 1-2, 25.1,
Politics, 1304 a20-21)
M.Ostwald – pro
P.J.Rhodes - contra
(a)Democracy
Democracy – people’s assembly activity
inscriptions, casualty lists (W.Schuller)

“Large numbers of citizens were actively
involved in running the democracy, through
machinery which required very high level of
participation” (Rhodes 2007, 28).
Not democracy but collective hegemony
over the allies
After this, seeing the state growing in confidence
and much wealth accumulated, he advised the
people to lay hold of the leadership of the league,
and to quit the country districts and settle in the
city. He pointed out to them that all would be able
to gain a living there, some by service in the army,
others in the garrisons, others by taking a part in
public affairs; and in this way they would secure the
leadership. This advice was taken; and when the
people had assumed the supreme control they
proceeded to treat their allies in a more imperious
fashion, with the exception of the Chians, Lesbians,
and Samians. These they maintained to protect their
empire, leaving their constitutions untouched, and
allowing them to retain whatever dominion they
then possessed (Arist. Ath.Pol. 24. 1-2).
(b) Areopagus Domination
Cimon’ trial and acquittal (c. 463
B.C.)
Did Areopagus really interfered in
Cimon’s affair?
 Making
of Democracy was not closely
connected with Empire and Sea
Power, e.g. Ephialtes’ reform of 462
B.C. was not its result.