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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Results 6-10 of 48
Page 35
... . Hereward, BSA 47 (1952) 102 ff. In his comments at Princeton Professor Badian cast strong doubt on the current interpretation of this document. [Xen.] Ath. Pol. 1.2. 95 Diod. 18.18.4. 96 Arist. Pol. Athenian Citizenship 35.
... . Hereward, BSA 47 (1952) 102 ff. In his comments at Princeton Professor Badian cast strong doubt on the current interpretation of this document. [Xen.] Ath. Pol. 1.2. 95 Diod. 18.18.4. 96 Arist. Pol. Athenian Citizenship 35.
Page 45
... doubt, the 12 Hansen, GRBS 17 (1976) 129–30. 13 Arist. Ath. Pol. 43.6: three items on religious matters, three on foreign policy and three on domestic policy. This minimum program was fixed for two of the four ecclesiai held every ...
... doubt, the 12 Hansen, GRBS 17 (1976) 129–30. 13 Arist. Ath. Pol. 43.6: three items on religious matters, three on foreign policy and three on domestic policy. This minimum program was fixed for two of the four ecclesiai held every ...
Page 46
... doubt the show of hands is repeated, and continued doubt may result in a count of the votes after a division of the assembly. (b) In the New England town meeting (attended by a few hundred citizens) the voting is usually viva voce and ...
... doubt the show of hands is repeated, and continued doubt may result in a count of the votes after a division of the assembly. (b) In the New England town meeting (attended by a few hundred citizens) the voting is usually viva voce and ...
Page 47
... doubt is only natural, and we have in fact an exact parallel to the voting procedure adopted by some of the Swiss Landsgemeinden (n. 17). Now the ideal state described in the Laws is certainly not Athens, but it is worth noting that ...
... doubt is only natural, and we have in fact an exact parallel to the voting procedure adopted by some of the Swiss Landsgemeinden (n. 17). Now the ideal state described in the Laws is certainly not Athens, but it is worth noting that ...
Page 52
... doubt, by a vote taken among the nine proedroi themselves. On this theory there is no reason for inventing a tenth vote-counter added to the nine proedroi * of the other councillors is actually picked by lot as proedros, and rightly ...
... doubt, by a vote taken among the nine proedroi themselves. On this theory there is no reason for inventing a tenth vote-counter added to the nine proedroi * of the other councillors is actually picked by lot as proedros, and rightly ...
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