Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens

1. Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens Center of Democracy? •At the end of the “Dark Age” (c. 800 bce), the land of Athens was in the possession of a few “tribes” or families of eupatridae (the “well born”). •From these eupatridae came the members who formed the Areopagus, a council of elders who made religious, military, and civil decisions. •Power had been passed down through heredity, although this would change around 700bce. •With a policy of unification, the leaders of Athens “unified” (annexed and absorbed) the surrounding cities of Attica in 8th century bce.

2. Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens Center of Democracy? • The ingredients of discord: • Threats from without • War • Competing demands within • Tribal affiliation • Eupatridae • Upper Class aristocracy • Different mechanisms of government • Middle Class excluded from politics • Poor excluded from politics • debt and bondage • Some excluded from citizenship altogether Potential conflicts… Conflict between Athenians and non-Athenians Conflict between tribes Conflict the eupatridae and the aristocracy Conflict between those included in politics and those excluded Conflict between the aristocracy and the poor

3. Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens Stages of Athenian Government Eupatrid oligarchy (700 – 600) Early democratic reforms Empire Delian League Cleisthenes (510 – 462) Four tribes and tribal kings (pre-700 bce) Reform and Tyranny “Radical” democracy Solon (594– 561) Peisistratus and sons (561 – 510) Ephialtes and Pericles (461 – 429)

4. Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens Stages of Athenian Government Eupatrid oligarchy (700 – 600) Four tribes and tribal kings (pre-700 bce) Reform and Tyranny Solon (594– 561) “The demos rose up in revolt against the elites” – Aristotle, Athenian Politics “There was fierce political struggle, and for a long time [the Athenians] fought each other” – Plutarch, Solon

5. Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens Solon’s reforms "The mortgage-stones that covered her, by me Removed, -- the land that was a slave is free; that some who had been seized for their debts he had brought back from other countries, where -- so far their lot to roam, They had forgot the language of their home; and some he had set at liberty, -- Who here in shameful servitude were held." •In 594, Solon appointed chief archon to mediate crisis •Created four “classes” based on wealth •Access to public offices now dependent upon wealth, not birth •Poor, indebted laborers freed and debts forgiven; enslavement for debt is abolished •Changed the way archons were selected

6. Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens Stages of Athenian Government Eupatrid oligarchy (700 – 600) Four tribes and tribal kings (pre-700 bce) Reform and Tyranny Solon (594– 561) Peisistratus and sons (561 – 510) “The demos rose up in revolt against the elites” – Aristotle, Athenian Politics 508 bce: Spartans and exiled elites attack and overthrow Hippias, Pesistratus’ son “There was fierce political struggle, and for a long time [the Athenians] fought each other” – Plutarch, Solon Peisistratus contends for power with two other elites and wins…and then loses…and then wins…and then loses…and the wins, finally. They were joined by “those Athenians who wished to be free” - Herodotus

7. Ancient Greece: Rise of Athens Solon’s reforms The four classes Pentacosiomedimnoi (could serve as Strategoi) Hippeis (could afford and serve as cavalry) Zeugitai (could afford Hoplite shields and to serve as infantry) Thetes (the poorest; often were servants or “sharecroppers”)

8. Under Cleisthenes •Cleisthenes abolishes the original four tribes •Creates a number of “demes,” based on geography •Creates ten tribes

9. Under Pericles