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 46
... possible to adduce some im† portant passages in favour of the opposite view, namely, that the majority was estimated. 1. Most important is Aristotle's statement in the Constitution of Athens 44.3 that the proedroi were responsible for ...
... possible to adduce some im† portant passages in favour of the opposite view, namely, that the majority was estimated. 1. Most important is Aristotle's statement in the Constitution of Athens 44.3 that the proedroi were responsible for ...
Page 49
... possible way of counting the votes. Additional evidence of this view can be found in some decrees published on stone in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In a few decrees of the first century b.c. passed by ballot a count of the votes ...
... possible way of counting the votes. Additional evidence of this view can be found in some decrees published on stone in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In a few decrees of the first century b.c. passed by ballot a count of the votes ...
Page 51
... possible that we are faced with one more unconstitutionality committed during this notorious session of the ecclesia, but we must not forget that hypomosia is the technical term for various types of demurrer.27 A more likely ...
... possible that we are faced with one more unconstitutionality committed during this notorious session of the ecclesia, but we must not forget that hypomosia is the technical term for various types of demurrer.27 A more likely ...
Page 52
... possible. I have no objection to the view that the stone beddings are evidence of subdivisions of the auditorium (parallels can be found in other Greek cities),29 but I would prefer a different interpretation. Not only when the votes ...
... possible. I have no objection to the view that the stone beddings are evidence of subdivisions of the auditorium (parallels can be found in other Greek cities),29 but I would prefer a different interpretation. Not only when the votes ...
Page 53
... possible that each phyle occupied a fixed section of the ecclesia following the official order of the tribes, in which case Pandionis was next to Aegeis; but Demosthenes always placed himself beneath the katatome,31 so that he must have ...
... possible that each phyle occupied a fixed section of the ecclesia following the official order of the tribes, in which case Pandionis was next to Aegeis; but Demosthenes always placed himself beneath the katatome,31 so that he must have ...
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