Athenian DemocracyP. J. Rhodes Edinburgh University Press, 2019 M08 7 - 304 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 meant 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 the 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 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 manoeuvrings 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 analyse a particular body of evidence in detail. Use is made of archaeology, 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. |
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Page 10
... majority was adjudged without a precise count of votes. It has always been known that fifth-century Athenian comedy abounds in allusions to current personalities and events, and that there are some reflections of current events in ...
... majority was adjudged without a precise count of votes. It has always been known that fifth-century Athenian comedy abounds in allusions to current personalities and events, and that there are some reflections of current events in ...
Page 41
... majority was assessed by surveying the assembly: he tells us that the first ecclesia hearing the trial of the generals was adjourned because it was too late to see the hands. Several sources state that the cheirotonia took the form of a ...
... majority was assessed by surveying the assembly: he tells us that the first ecclesia hearing the trial of the generals was adjourned because it was too late to see the hands. Several sources state that the cheirotonia took the form of a ...
Page 42
... majority. Concerning the fifth century we are (as usual) almost ignorant of the procedure. The only relevant source is Arist. Ath. Pol. 30.5, a paper constitution of 411 b.c. prescribing that a board of five councillors chosen by lot be ...
... majority. Concerning the fifth century we are (as usual) almost ignorant of the procedure. The only relevant source is Arist. Ath. Pol. 30.5, a paper constitution of 411 b.c. prescribing that a board of five councillors chosen by lot be ...
Page 44
... majority in a cheirotonia was assessed on a rough estimate only. The right explanation of Aristotle's scornful remark may be that by voting viva voce [orally] a person may assume more than one vote by shouting loudly. If, for example, a ...
... majority in a cheirotonia was assessed on a rough estimate only. The right explanation of Aristotle's scornful remark may be that by voting viva voce [orally] a person may assume more than one vote by shouting loudly. If, for example, a ...
Page 45
... majority was assessed on a rough estimate of the hands raised and that an exact count of the votes was carried out either exceptionally or never at all. This conclusion is supported by an argument from analogy. From various places and ...
... majority was assessed on a rough estimate of the hands raised and that an exact count of the votes was carried out either exceptionally or never at all. This conclusion is supported by an argument from analogy. From various places and ...
Contents
1 | |
13 | |
PART II POLITICAL ACTIVITY | 159 |
PART III MOMENTS IN HISTORY | 237 |
PART IV A VIEW OF DEMOCRACY | 325 |
Intellectual Chronology | 349 |
Bibliography | 352 |
Index | 356 |
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Common terms and phrases
activity actual allotment ancient archon argues Aristotle assembly Athenian Athens attempt barley called citizens classical Cleisthenes competition Constitution Council count courts decision deme democracy democratic demos Demosthenes dikasts discussion doubt eisangelia evidence example fact festival fifth century five four fourth century give given Greek hands Hesperia Hundred IG ii2 important individual institutions interest jury kind kleroteria later leaders least less lines majority means officials originally Oxford particular perhaps period person Plut political poor possible practice present probably problem procedure proposal punishment question reason references reforms regard remained Rhodes rooms says seems Solon sources speech suggests taken tickets tribe University vote whole