Transcript Four Reformers

Four Reformers
Draco (621 B.C.)
Written code of laws
Solon (594 B.C.)
Eliminated debt slavery
Peisistratus (546 B.C.)
Caters to peasants
Cleisthenes (508 B.C.)
Council of 500
Athens famous for being primary basis of
Western Civilization
• Its democracy wasn’t always constant
• Its form slightly different than what we’re familiar with.
• Athens originally a kingdom morphed into more of an
aristocracy that became unstable, partially due to oral
and arbitrary laws
• 621 BC, Draco appointed to codify the laws
• Unpopular move because the laws (both as they
already existed and were codified by Draco, but also
most especially as designed by Draco) were extremely
harsh.
More on Draco…
• Death was the penalty for even minor crimes, like
stealing vegetables.
• Draco claimed that this was an appropriate
punishment and if something even worse were
found, he would have applied to greater crimes.
• Different classes were also treated differently –
debtors could be sold into slavery if in debt to a
higher class.
• An upside is that murder was punished by the state
instead of by blood-feud vendettas.
• It is from Draco that the term ‘draconian’ derives.
Solon
The Athenian lawmaker that first
established the basis of civil democracy
• Draco’s constitution wasn’t working out too well and in
594 BC, Solon revised it (almost completely).
• Solon threw out all of Draco’s laws except those
concerning homicide.
• He had to strike a balance between the concerns of the
aristocracy and those of the poor.
• The poor were disgruntled at the possibility of they
and their families being sold into slavery if they were
in debt to an aristocrat.
• The aristocrats wanted to prevent a revolution and
keep their wealth (and their skin).
Some reforms:
• Debt-slavery was abolished. Anybody
who had been sold into slavery due to
debt was liberated.
• All outstanding debts were abolished.
• Death penalty only for murder.
• Classes were based on income, not birth
1. Pentakosiomedimnoi: Those whose land
produced 500 bushels per annum
2. Hippeis: Those who were worth 300 bushels
3. Zeugitai: Those who were worth 200
bushels
4. Thetes: Manual laborers.
• Move was important because it helped
break the power of hereditary
aristocracy
Some reforms cont.
• Introduced trial by jury
• Set up new system of government
• Included a third class in the Boule (council of 400 –
100 from each of the four tribes)
• After the new laws published and official, he left Athens
for 10 years to avoid temptation to become a tyrant
though he was effectively one in making the laws
• Went touring.
• Neither the poor nor the rich of Athens happy about
new laws at first
• the aristocrats had debts to them abolished and the poor
didn’t get more wealth, but they liked them over time.
Peisistratus (Hippocrates’s son)
• Mentee of Solon
• Became leader of Athens’ poor 565BC
• Initial attempts at seizing control of
Athens failed
• Seized power in 560BC,
• Tyrant by 546BC.
• Made popular reforms.
• Reduced taxation
• Introduced festivals
• Increased trade and commerce
• Produced coin money
• Beautified the city
Peisistratus cont.
• Had official copies of the Iliad & Odyssey written.
• Helped the poor, gave them jobs through public works,
• Poor were satisfied & supported him.
• Preserved the democratic institutions, but loaded upper
bodies with family & cronies.
• When he first took power in 560 BC, it was through
cunning deception. Did it again later.
• Solon urged the Athenians to resist Peisistratus, but
they were too cowardly and Peisistratus too powerful.
• Solon himself openly opposed Peisistratus.
Cleisthenes
Took power with Spartan help after Peisistratus’s
son Hippias was exiled
• Reformed the government
• Previously, multiple tribes and conflict among the
city folk, hill folk, and plain folk.
• Cleisthenes organized ten entirely new tribes each
composed of people from the three regions and of
different family tribes.
• Broke old tribal or class loyalties & reoriented people
towards the state.
• Solon’s council of 400 became the Council of 500,
50 people from each new tribe.
Cleisthenes cont.
• Assembly became main governing body of
Athens and dealt with day to day affairs.
• Anybody was eligible to serve for one year and it was
expected that all male citizens would serve eventually.
• Also served as a supreme court / jury, except for
murder cases and religious matters
• With the establishment of the assembly, Athens became
a representative democracy.
• The citizens themselves ran it.
Four Reformers
prompts
Each response must include:
6-8 complete sentences
SPECIFIC evidence from the ppt. to support.
1.Which reformer made the most significant
changes in Athenian government/society, and
why?
2.Defend or refute the following statement:
The Four Reformers followed a natural sociopolitical, evolutionary path/progression
toward changing the “Face of Athens.”