Download Athens

11 Ge bi (Rös)
Athens
8th century BC:
 members of nobility gain more and more power (esp. due to
distinctive competitiveness) and wealth (crops of wine and olive oil)
 called themselves “eupatrids” (people with good ancestors)
 power of the basileus slowly faded; nobles change his responsibilities
into yearly offices => nobles filling these offices: archons (Gr.: leader);
Athenian government imperceptibly becomes an oligarchy
 underneath basileus: council of nobles (Areopagus; from the name of
the hill where they met)
 consisted of a varying number of members; elected nine archons to run
the state
 the archons, however, had to submit to the approval or veto of the
Areopagus
7th century BC:
 culmination of conflicts; division of the Athenian community
 wealthy Athenians VS poorer farmers
 nobility: striving for more land & winning dependent workers to till
the land => exerting pressure on poorer farmers
 poorer farmers: threat of (debt) slavery
 mighty nobles try to establish tyrannies
 situation is a powder-keg waiting to go off
621/20 BC:
 Dracon = first Athenian legislator; set out in writing rules for the
Athenian community (before: so-called “Herrschaftswissen”, i.e. laws
only passed down orally) => esp. laws needed to settle conflicts
 however: increase in conflicts
594 BC:
=> influential Athenian circles agree on improving legislation and compiling
binding laws for everyone
=> authorise Solon who is appointed “reconciler” (Gr.: diallaktes)
=> Solon paves the way for drastic measures