Athenian Democracy

Ca. 6th Century BCE

 Features
every citizen had a voice in the Assembly
majority of citizens were thetes (poor and
landless)
citizen meant only men who were born in the
city-state of Athens whose fathers were
citizens (children of slaves were slaves, even if
born in Athens)
 Structure
Magistrates (Archons)
9 elected yearly by lot from the aristocrats
3 top positions, rest are lesser judges (thesmothetai)
Basilius: chief religious officer
Polemarch: chief army officer
Senior Archon: chief civil administrator and judge = head of state
Council (Aeropagus)
ex-Archons
advised the archons
guardians of the law (lawspeakers)
passed legislation
presided as criminal court
Assembly
all male citizens born in Athens
approved motions of war
 Reforms in Athenian Democracy
Solon, Archon, 594 BCE
abolished practice of debt slavery
Archons not limited to only aristocrats: now based on
wealth, not birth
added Council of 400
100 hundred citizens from each of 4 traditional founding tribes of
Athens
from top three classes (lower class tribe members could not be
chosen), based on wealth (lower tribe members could not be
chosen)
elected annually and met regularly
prepared legislation to be voted on by entire Assembly
acted as court of appeal for judgments of the Archons
Assembly could now approve legislation (vote only, no
debate)
 Cleisthenes, Noble, ca. 508-507 BCE
reorganized tribal divisions of citizens into more equitable groupings
10 new tribes created
Council of 400 replaced by Council of 500
elected annually and met in full council
50 members from each new tribe
1/10th of the year, one tribe acted as executive committee
voted one general (strategos) for each of the 10 tribes to lead in
military affairs
administered govt boards
proposed legislation
oversaw finances
acted as law court
only generals had to be highly qualified officials; all other offices
filled by drawing lots every year from all citizens over 30 years old
 More of Cleisthenes Reforms
Assembly reformed
now open to all citizens over 18 years old
debated and passed legislation
treason court
approved ostracism votes
rid Athens of any citizen who would be a tyrant
whole family would be exiled for 10 years
annually voted on in January (mid-year in Greek calendar)
needed a minimum of a total of 6000 votes cast
whichever name appeared most often was ostracized
ballots were broken pieces of pottery called ostraka
first held in 487 BCE