Download Athenian Government in the Archaic Age

ATHENIAN GOVERNMENT
IN THE ARCHAIC AGE
ARISTOCRATIC BEGINNINGS
(REVIEW)
• Particular to Athens:
• Athens continually existed through the Mycenaean and Dark Ages but was revitalized around 1050. By 900
BC, the chief basileus ruled all of Attica. By 800 BC Athenian population increased and by 750 BC the
villages joined (synoecism) under control of Athens. This is attributed to Theseus (demi-god).
• Goodbye to the Baselei
• Aristocrats (called Eupatrids or good fathers) desired to protect their land as land grew more scarce
among the lower classes
• Reformed the government so all government officials were aristocratic
• Created an oligarchy (look at previous PowerPoint on oligarch/tyranny for details)
• 9 archons, areopagus (Ares council)
LIFE UNDER THE ARISTOCRATS AND
DESIRE FOR REFORM
• Those that couldn’t repay debt used either themselves or their land as collateral
• Pay 1/6 in produce to the aristocrats or sold into slavery abroad if unable to pay
• At some point in the late Dark Age, all men were required to defend the polis
• No class divisions among those who could afford armor (i.e. hoplites)
• Hoplites wanting government participation combined with the serf-like economic
situation= tyrants
CYLON 632 BC
• Humanoid robots that created a coup: (see Greek history is important for
understanding science fiction  )
• Olympic hero who attempted to overthrow the aristocrats with the help of nearby
tyrant
• The aristocratic clan, the Alcmaeonidae, lead by Megacles foiled the coup and killed
Cylon’s followers (Cylon escaped)
• The Alcmaeonidae was cursed for committing sacrilege, the rebels were supplicants
at Athena’s mercy, and exiled from Athens
DRACO: CONTINUED UNREST
621 BC
• Possibly comes from the Greek word Drakon meaning snake
• Might be a fictionalized person
• Only legal reforms no economic
• Most significant for providing written laws and elevating the state over families
• Dealt with homicide laws placing them within the context of the court rather than the
family.
• Later writers would say that his laws were written with blood rather than ink because
the penalties were so harsh
• He also took power away from the aristocrats for the first time
SOLON: DEMOCRATIC REFORMS
594 BC
• Not a tyrant
• Significant for encouraging participation in government and is considered the Father of
Athenian Democracy
• Legal/Political Reforms:
• Created 4 new classes of people classified according to wealth NOT birth
• Top two classes
• The 9 archons
• Top three classes
• Treasurers, public contract commissioners, prison supervisors, financial clerks
• Lowest class (Thetes or dependents)
• Place in the People’s Assembly
SOLON: CONTINUED
• Legal reforms con’t:
• The archons chosen by lot from among the 4 tribes
• 10 people chosen (by lot) from a tribe and then 2-3 were chosen by lot again
• Areopagus:
• Council of Elders, aristocratic council, carried down from Homeric time
• Filled by archons-thus from the top two wealthiest classes
• Guardians of the laws
• Council of 400
• Previewed laws prior before being voted on at the citizen’s assembly
SOLON’S ECONOMIC REFORMS AND HIS
SHORTFALLS
• Economic reforms:
• Prohibited the mortgaging of property/one’s self for debt
• Canceled all debt
• Allowed all citizens to seek redress in court if an infraction hurt the community
• Modeled currency off of Lydian currency• Remade weights and measures
• Encouraged trade in olive farming and grape cultivation. No exporting of grain (needed at
home)
• Offered citizenship to artisans in other poleis
• Shortcomings
• Debt forgiven and property given back but money still an issue for lower class
• Upper-class felt slighted with the forgiveness of debts
• Lots of aristocratic rivalries
PISISTRATUS
• 3 political parties:
• Shore: led by Megacles (he was the Alcmaeonidae left back in by Solon)
• Plain: farmers, led by Lycurgus (resented debt cancelation and access to aristocratic offices by other nonaristocrats)
• Highlands: led by Pisistratus
• Led coup 561-558 BC
• Wounded himself, accused someone of attacking him, and received a guard to protect him
• Took over
• Exiled by Megacles and Lycurgus
• Second Attempt 557 BC
• Alliance with Megacles to marry his daughter
• Dressed a women as Athena- said he was divinely appointed
• Refused Megacles daughter and exiled once more
• Third and lasting attempt 547-528 BC
• Gained money and mercenaries over 10 year period
• Took Athens by force, exiled his enemies, gave the aristocratic children to tyrant in Naxos, disarmed people
PISISTRATUS: ECONOMIC REFORMS
• Gave money to lower class
• Helped invest in more land
• Helped tide poor over in order to switch from cereal to olive/wine farming
• Helped sustain a switch from farming to industry
• Encouraged trade
• Ionia, Cyprus, Spain
• Red figure pottery began
• Coins become prominent (face of Athena with an Owl on reverse)
• Public Works
• Building projects
• Temple to Athena (later rebuilt during Classical Era)
• Public fountains
•
State controlled access vs. aristocratic
• Keep the poor occupied in country, provide jobs, keep them out of public affairs
PISISTRATUS: CULTURE
• Greater and Lesser Dionysia:
• Forerunner of Classical Tragedy (satyrs would sing a tragodia or goat song)
• Named after the god Dionysus
• Panathenaea
• Celebration in which all the young virgins would march to Athena’s temple and present her with a large robe
weaved by them
• Every four years
• Kept all legal reforms of Solon and allowed exiled people to return
• Encourage diplomacy between poleis to encourage trade
• Most significant for enlarging the state and balancing power between the lower class and upper
FALL OF THE PEISISTRATIDS
• Hippias and Hipparchus:
• Hipparchus sought revenge on Harmodius who rejected his affections by preventing
Harmodius’s sister from carrying a basket in the Pananthenaic procession (insinuating she
was not a virgin)
• Harmodius took revenge and killed Hipparchus
• Hippias continued the Tyranny which was overthrown by the
Spartans
• Sparta attempted to set up a Oligarchy of 300 people which was rejected and the
aristocrats invited Cleisthenes back to rule
SPARTA IN THE 6TH CENTURY
• Pisistratus was ruling Athens at this time (561-527 BC)
• Desired supremacy in the Peloponnese
• Attacked Tegea and Argos
• 550 BC Tegean Campaign
• Alliance made with Sparta as the head
• 546 BC Sparta defeats Argos and becomes the most powerful militaristic
polis in Greece
• 510 BC Peloponnesian League
• Military allies with the poleis in the Peloponnesus
• Not an empire as no tribute was paid
• Sparta the head
SPARTA, ATHENS, AND PERSIA
• 510 BC Sparta ended the Pisistratid rule in
Athens
• Two factions arose in Athens. Culminating in
a Spartan oligarchy
• Athenians kicked out the oligarchy and
Cleisthenes established democracy.
• Fearing Sparta, Athens offered earth and
water to Persia to get their protection.
CLEISTHENES: ARCHON
LEGAL REFORMS
• Founder of Athenian democracy- increased
the power of the ekklesia and created a
balance of powers (isonomia)
• Reforms actually had to be passed by the
assembly (setting a precedent that all laws
must be passed via the ekklesia)
• Four tribes became 10
• Divided Attica into 3 geographical districts each having 10 tribes participating
• City, coast, plain
• Demes or smaller districts in each tribe
• Council of 500
• Reformed the Council of 400
• Each tribe provides 50 members to represent
• Each tribe would represent for about 5 weeks
(so all 500 would serve for 52 weeks)
• Chosen by lot
• Still prepare ecclesia (popular assembly)
agenda
• Manage financial and foreign affairs
• Ostracism: broken bits of pottery used to exile
those thought to be too powerful
• Done in the Ekklesia
• Anyone could be exiled for 10 years
• Also used to vote (circles with a hole or
without a hole)