Transcript slides
Demokratia
kratos
(sovereign
power)
of the
demos
(adult male citizens/
common people/
democracy as constitution/
supporters of democracy/
people at assembly/
kinship or geographical
group)
Ekklesia (assembly)
Meets at Pnyx hill in Athens
Theoretically all male citizens over 18
Chaired by epistates, leader of prutaneis/
prytany
Agenda from boule
Boule (council of 500)
500 citizens over 30, serving for a year
Sits in bouleterion in agora
50 men from each of 10 “tribes,” chosen
by lot
Each tribe’s 50 men serve on prutaneis one
month, living in tholos
Areopagus council/ council of
ex-arkhons
Oldest body of government,
consisting of ex-arkhontes
Meets at Areopagus (Crag of Ares)
Guardian of laws/court for some crimes
Membership indirectly open to most over 30,
chosen by lot
Chief Arkhon: Festivals, family matters, gives
name to year
“King” Arkhon: Religious life
Polemarkhos: Lawsuits involving metoikoi
(resident foreigners) and visiting
foreigners
Thesmothetai: Organise judicial
administration, preside over jury courts
Ten strategoi (sing. strategos):
military commanders, NOT
chosen by lot, but one from each tribe
leitourgia (pl. leitourgiai “liturgy”)
trireme
eisphorai (war taxes)
Salamis
Mykale
Peloponnesian Wars
Delian League
Khaironeia (338 BC)
Termination of Athenian democracy
(322 BC)
Aristotle (384-322 BC), Politics