Kiyahrra Avalos

Mr. Wisner

2nd period M/W

October 6, 2016

Do you know what being a citizen means in Athens? In Athens to be a citizen you have to

be a free native- male adult, or if both parents were born in Athens. People were citizens of a

state or an empire, and that being citizen held a lot of responsibility, but also enjoy have certain

rights. Citizenship is a status, or given by a government to some or all of its people. Women and

slaves could not be citizens of Athens. Athens had a better system of citizenship than Rome,

because Athens Included people to meetings other than people who were important. They had

different economic classes, and all citizens have a voice in all their meeting they have together.

Athenians had assembling 40 times a year. They allow every citizen to attend every one

of their assemblings they had. When they need to vote on something the requirement of citizens

to be at the meeting was six thousand, but that meant that the voting would be equal, and no one

would say it was unfair. In order to be a citizen you have to be an adult free male, like I said

in the before, but their spouses could give them an idea they had, and the citizens could bring it

up in the meetings.

When Athenians were ready to choose their Oligarch they would be chosen by lot, in

random order. That allowed any Athenians for a chance to be Oligarch .When citizens thought

the Oligarch was getting too much power they would kick out the ruler out of Athens known as

ostracism. In the Roman Senate, only 300 men served for life. The Roman Senate usually came
from the oldest Roman family, or it was inherited. Because Athenian rulers were chosen by lot it

can be a very rich citizen, or it can be a poor citizen. .. it is the poor which mans the fleet and

has brought the state her power That is a quote from a speech tittled The Polity of Athenians

by the Old Oligarch. What he was saying was that it is the working class that gives the state its

power, not just the rich who are known for what they have done with their money. Athenians

were very fair to all of their citizens.

Citizens of Athens were allowed speak whatever they thought. Just as I mention their

ruler was chosen by lot so either their ruler was really understanding or was gaining too much

power. No matter who they were, they were still a citizen, Even though the requirement for each

meeting was six thousand citizens, and that is a lot for just one meeting, but everyone had the

chance to say what they thought needed to be said. Having 40 meetings a year wouldnt you

think that they could have said whatever they wanting, or what was happening at the time.

I feel like Athens had a fair system, because everyone rich, poor, man, or women could

have a chance to have a say so in their government somehow. Just because women were not

considered citizens they had the same amount of chance to input ideas as much as actual citizens

had. Roman women had a chance to be citizens but they had limited rights, and male children

could be a citizen only if they completed education and had two years of military training. So in

all I believe that Athens had the most fair system.