Athenian Democracy

Athenian democracy began at the end of the sixth century BC, flourished in the fourth, and ended abruptly in 322BC after the Macedonian conquest of Athens.

It 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 assemby and the right to speak one's mind in private.

Equality meant the equal right of the 20,000 male citizens over 30 to participate in the government of the state and the administration of the law.

Largely forgotten until the middle of the 19th century, the rediscovered institutions of Athenian democracy became an inspiration for modern democratic politics and political philosophy.This text introduces and reprints a range of some of most influential works on Athenian democracy.

Part One concerns political institutions, with chapters by J.K.

Davies on citizenship; M.H. Hansen on voting in the assembly; S. Dow on the workings of the constitution; M.M. Markle III on jury and assembly pay, and how far the assemblies and juries comprised those who needed the money; and L.

Gernet, on capital punishment.Part Two focuses on political activity, with chapters by P.J.

Rhodes on how to interpret the working of the Athenian democracy; M.I.

Finley on Athenian demagogues, the political leaders whose position was based not on birth or wealth or election but the ability to make persuasive speeches in the law-courts and assembly; Robin Osborne on competitive drama festivals; and S.C.

Humphreys on the division of social life into public and private spheres.Part Three - "Moments in History" - has chapters by Claude Mosse on Solon, the "founding father" of Athenian democracy; Josiah Ober on the "Athenian revolution of 508/7 BC"; and R.

Sealey on the real purpose of Ephialtes' reforms.In Part Four C.

Meier considers how and why politics and democracy developed in archaic and classical Greece, and specifically in Athens, but not in other ancient societies.