Athenian DemocracyPeter John Rhodes Oxford University Press, 2004 - 358 pages Athens' democracy developed during the sixth and fifth centuries and continued into the fourth; Athens' defeat by Macedon in 322 began a series of alternations between democracy and oligarchy. The democracy was inseparably bound up with the ideals of liberty and equality, the rule of law, and the direct government of the people by the people. Liberty means above all freedom of speech, the right to be heard in the public assembly and the right to speak one's mind in private. Equality meant the equal right of male citizens (perhaps 60,000 in the fifth century, 30,000 in the fourth) to participate in the government of the state and the administration of the law. Disapproved of as a mob rule until the nineteenth century, the institutions of Athenian democracy have become an inspiration for modern democratic politics and political philosophy. P. J. Rhodes's reader focuses on the political institutions, political activity, history, and nature of Athenian democracy and introduces some of the best British, American, German, and French scholarship on its origins, theory, and practice. Part I is devoted to political institutions: citizenship, the assembly, the law-courts, and capital punishment. Part II explores aspects of political activity: the demagogues and their relationship with the assembly, the maneuverings of the politicians, competitive festivals, and the separation of public from private life. Part III looks at three crucial points in the development of the democracy: the reforms of Solon, Cleisthenes, and Ephialtes. Part IV considers what it was in Greek life that led to the development of democracy. Some of the authors adopt broad-brush approaches to major questions; others analyze a particular body of evidence in detail. Use is made of archeology, comparison with other societies, the location of festivals in their civic context, and the need to penetrate behind what the classical Athenians made of their past. |
From inside the book
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Page ix
... important work , including a significant proportion of translated material . The editor also provides a guide to the history of modern scholarship on the subject . Passages in ancient languages are trans- lated ; technical terms ...
... important work , including a significant proportion of translated material . The editor also provides a guide to the history of modern scholarship on the subject . Passages in ancient languages are trans- lated ; technical terms ...
Page 2
... important office in Athens but now being eclipsed by the office of strategos , general ) to more representative bodies judicial powers of political significance . The first signs of the concept of demo - kratia , people - power , appear ...
... important office in Athens but now being eclipsed by the office of strategos , general ) to more representative bodies judicial powers of political significance . The first signs of the concept of demo - kratia , people - power , appear ...
Page 8
... important aspect , but not the only important aspect , of the Athenian democracy , and Part II contains chapters on political activity : the demagogues as an essential 19 J. Ober , ' The Nature of Athenian Democracy ' , CP lxxxiv 1989 ...
... important aspect , but not the only important aspect , of the Athenian democracy , and Part II contains chapters on political activity : the demagogues as an essential 19 J. Ober , ' The Nature of Athenian Democracy ' , CP lxxxiv 1989 ...
Page 11
... importance of ' joined - up writing ' , of integrating the results of different kinds of enquiry to produce a multi - dimensional picture ; 27 and in Chapter 8 he contributes to and broadens the new approach to drama , studying Athens ...
... importance of ' joined - up writing ' , of integrating the results of different kinds of enquiry to produce a multi - dimensional picture ; 27 and in Chapter 8 he contributes to and broadens the new approach to drama , studying Athens ...
Page 16
... important feature of Athens ' democracy was payment for the performance of civilian duties , to make it easier for the poorer citizens to play the part which they were legally entitled to play . M. M. Markle is an American who spent the ...
... important feature of Athens ' democracy was payment for the performance of civilian duties , to make it easier for the poorer citizens to play the part which they were legally entitled to play . M. M. Markle is an American who spent the ...
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Acropolis Aeschin allotment rooms ancient apagōge apotumpanismos archon Areopagus argues Arist Aristophanes Aristotle Aristotle's assembly Athenian democracy Athenian Ecclesia Athenian politics Attica boule Brauron century B.C. cheirotonia choinikes citizens citizenship Classical Athens Cleisthenes Cleomenes competition Constitution of Athens Council courts decree deme democratic demos Demosthenes dikasterion dikasts drachmas eisangelia Ephialtes evidence festival fifth century fourth century Greece Greek Hansen Heliaia Herodotus Hesperia hoplite Hypereides IG iiČ Isagoras jurors jury kanonides Keramopoullos kleroteria leaders Lysias medimnos obols offences officials oligarchic orators Oxford P. J. Rhodes Panathenaia Peisistratid Pericles phratry Plato Plut Plutarch polis Politeia politicians poor procedure proedroi Prytaneis psephoi punishment reforms Revolution says seems show of hands slaves slots Solon Solonian Spartans speech Thuc Thucydides ticket-inserters tickets tribe trittyes trittys tyrants University Press vote wheat word δὲ καὶ τὰ τὴν τῶν