More Ancient Greece Powerpoint Notes

• some essential government terms
• polis: fundamental political unit, made up of a city and the surrounding countryside
• politics (affairs of the cities), policy, political, etc.
• monarchy: rule by a single person (a king, in Greece)
• aristocracy: rule by a small group of noble, very rich, landowning families
• oligarchy: wealthy groups, dissatisfied with aristocratic rule, who seized power (often with military help)
• tyrant: powerful individual who seized control by appealing to the common people for support
• aristocracy
• aristocrats: members of the ruling class
• they attended symposiums, meetings where the elite men would enjoy wine and poetry, performances by dancers and acrobats, and the company of hetaeras (courtesans) while discussing politics
• politics - and exclusive club
• no women (except for entertainment)
• no middle class, no slaves
• sometimes, even certain aristocrats (who didn’t have the right connections or who fell out of favor) were excluded
• what to do if you’re “on the outside”?
• tyrants
• tyrants seize control
• sometimes aristocrats would form alliances with hoplites (well-armed soldiers) and set up an alternative form of gov called a tyranny
• tyrant: someone who rules outside the framework of the polis
• modern meaning: an abusive or oppressive ruler
• the Greek meaning: someone who simply seized power (usually with hoplite help)
• rules, codes, and laws
• Draco (621 BCE)
• all Athenians (rich or poor) are equal under the law
• but death is the punishment for many crimes
• debt slavery is OK (work as a slave to repay debts)
• Solon’s reforms (594 BCE)
• outlaws debt slavery
• all Athenian citizens can speak at the assembly
• any citizen can press charges against wrongdoers
• eventually leading to Cleisthenes
• more reforms (around 500 BCE):
• allowed all citizens to submit laws for debate at the assembly
• created the Council of Five Hundred (members chosen at random, to counsel the assembly)
• can you see this leading to democracy?
• but only free adult male property owners born in Athens were considered citizens
• no women, slaves, “foreigners”
• Isagoras vs. Cleisthenes
• Cleisthenes’ supporters - and the ordinary Athenian citizens! - revolt against Isagoras’ tyranny
• they trap Isagoras on the Acropolis for two days - on the third day he fled and was banished
• 508 BCE