Origins of democracy in ancient Greece
Journal Data
| Type | SOURCE_BOOK |
|---|---|
| Publisher | University of California Press (US) |
| ISBN-13 | 9780520245624 |
| Open Library | OL4861263W |
| Total publications | 7 |
| Coverage period | 2007 - 2007 |
| Language | EN |
| Cited by | 26 |
| h-index | 1 |
| i10-index | 1 |
This book presents a state-of-the-art debate about the origins of Athenian democracy by five eminent scholars. The result is a stimulating, critical exploration and interpretation of the extant evidence on this intriguing and important topic. The authors address such questions as: Why was democracy first realized in ancient Greece? Was democracy "invented" or did it evolve over a long period of time? What were the conditions for democracy, the social and political foundations that made this development possible? And what factors turned the possibility of democracy into necessity and reality? The authors first examine the conditions in early Greek society that encouraged equality and "people's power." They then scrutinize, in their social and political contexts, three crucial points in the evolution of democracy: the reforms connected with the names of Solon, Cleisthenes, and Ephialtes in the early and late sixth and mid-fifth century.
Revolutions and a New Order in Solonian Athens and Archaic Greece
This chapter discusses the history of political and legal reform, mass revolution, and the reports of various people's governments in Greece during the archaic period. Its larger focus on Athens is influenced by the state of their evidence, meager in any case but more extensive for that city, and by Athens' importance in the history of democracy. Economic problems drove some dependent farmers to breaking point. Some were sold abroad into slavery.…
Democracy, Origins of Contribution to a Debate
The study of the Athenian political order is one of today's most inspiring and active areas of ancient Greek history. It is therefore within a much wider framework than just the political history of Athens that the issue of the origins of democracy in ancient Greece must now be contemplated. Greece should at least mean Hellas, the Greek world as a whole, not just Athens and Robinson. But obviously, though this may be the case for a specialist in …
Power to the People
One of the allures of studying the ancient Athenians is that everyone has relatively easy access to the limited number of literary and epigraphic sources. Arguments about the interpretation and implications of the evidence thus appear in sharp relief. Each commentator's choice of a period and context in which to locate the emergence of democracy reflects the salience he attributes to particular elements of governance. For Robert Wallace, the key …
The Breakthrough of Dēmokratia in Mid-Fifth-Century Athens
“I Besieged That Man”
Athenian political institutions were simple and dominated by the elite. Cleisthenes, as a preceding member of a prominent family and as an Areopagite, both surely has the right and the power to address the assembly. It seems a reasonable guess that he cemented his alliance with the demos by proposing in the assembly changes to the structure and duties of the tribes, and to the council which prepared the assembly's agenda. The subelite Athenians s…
“People's Power” and Egalitarian Trends in Archaic Greece
Democracy is signified through institutions, practices, mentalities, and ultimately ideologies. These different components of democracy in Greece reached their fullest development in the fifth and fourth centuries. Democracy means that all citizens, the whole demos, determine policies and exercise control through assembly, council, and courts, and that political leaders, attempting to shape public opinion, are subordinate to the demos. With certa…
Origins of Democracy in Ancient Greece
This book presents a state-of-the-art debate about the origins of Athenian democracy by five scholars. The result is a critical exploration and interpretation of the extant evidence on this topic. The authors address such questions as: Why was democracy first realized in ancient Greece? Was it “invented” or did it evolve over a long period of time? What were the conditions for democracy, the social and political foundations that made this develop…
Origins of Democracy in Ancient Greece
This book presents a state-of-the-art debate about the origins of Athenian democracy by five scholars. The result is a critical exploration and interpretation of the extant evidence on this topic. The authors address such questions as: Why was democracy first realized in ancient Greece? Was it “invented” or did it evolve over a long period of time? What were the conditions for democracy, the social and political foundations that made this develop…
Revolutions and a New Order in Solonian Athens and Archaic Greece
This chapter discusses the history of political and legal reform, mass revolution, and the reports of various people's governments in Greece during the archaic period. Its larger focus on Athens is influenced by the state of their evidence, meager in any case but more extensive for that city, and by Athens' importance in the history of democracy. Economic problems drove some dependent farmers to breaking point. Some were sold abroad into slavery.…
Democracy, Origins of Contribution to a Debate
The study of the Athenian political order is one of today's most inspiring and active areas of ancient Greek history. It is therefore within a much wider framework than just the political history of Athens that the issue of the origins of democracy in ancient Greece must now be contemplated. Greece should at least mean Hellas, the Greek world as a whole, not just Athens and Robinson. But obviously, though this may be the case for a specialist in …
Power to the People
One of the allures of studying the ancient Athenians is that everyone has relatively easy access to the limited number of literary and epigraphic sources. Arguments about the interpretation and implications of the evidence thus appear in sharp relief. Each commentator's choice of a period and context in which to locate the emergence of democracy reflects the salience he attributes to particular elements of governance. For Robert Wallace, the key …
The Breakthrough of Dēmokratia in Mid-Fifth-Century Athens
“I Besieged That Man”
Athenian political institutions were simple and dominated by the elite. Cleisthenes, as a preceding member of a prominent family and as an Areopagite, both surely has the right and the power to address the assembly. It seems a reasonable guess that he cemented his alliance with the demos by proposing in the assembly changes to the structure and duties of the tribes, and to the council which prepared the assembly's agenda. The subelite Athenians s…
“People's Power” and Egalitarian Trends in Archaic Greece
Democracy is signified through institutions, practices, mentalities, and ultimately ideologies. These different components of democracy in Greece reached their fullest development in the fifth and fourth centuries. Democracy means that all citizens, the whole demos, determine policies and exercise control through assembly, council, and courts, and that political leaders, attempting to shape public opinion, are subordinate to the demos. With certa…
Origins of Democracy in Ancient Greece
This book presents a state-of-the-art debate about the origins of Athenian democracy by five scholars. The result is a critical exploration and interpretation of the extant evidence on this topic. The authors address such questions as: Why was democracy first realized in ancient Greece? Was it “invented” or did it evolve over a long period of time? What were the conditions for democracy, the social and political foundations that made this develop…