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MDS2/3 TGW

Ancient Greece: Democratic Athens I

Gillian Shepherd

Image source page: h5p://www.flickr.com/photos/virtusincertus/4095294144/

The Tyrannicides (Harmodios and Aristogeiton) Roman copy of an original of c. 475 BC by Kritios and Nesiotes Museo Nazionale, Naples Descendants given meals at public expense in the Prytaneion (IG 13 131) See Thucydides 1.20; 6.53. NB IG = Inscriptiones Graecae

Resolved to attempt any device which might help them against the Peisistratids, the Alkmaeonids got the contract from the Amphictyons to build the temple which stands today at Delphi, but at that time did not exist. They were wealthy men, and came of a long and distinguished line; and the temple they built was better in various respects than the plan required. In particular, they gave it a façade of Parian marble, whereas the agreement had been to use freestone for the whole. The Athenians say that these men, during their stay at Delphi, bribed the Priestess to tell any Spartans that might happen to consult the oracle, either on state or private business, that it was their duty to liberate Athens; and the Spartans, as a result of the constant repetition of the same injunction, sent Anchimolios, the son of Aster, a distinguished citizen, at the head of an army to drive out the Peisistratids…

Herod. V. 63-4

… Herodotus goes on to describe Spartan campaigns against Athens, beginning in 511 BC

Kleomenes then marched to Athens and together with the Athenians who wished for freedom besieged Hippias on the Acropolis. The Lacedaemonians had not intended to undertake a siege and the Peisistratids had ample supplies of food and drink. It is likely therefore that, but for an unexpected accident, Kleomenes would have kept up the siege for days and then retired to Sparta; but luckily for the Spartans and unluckily for their enemies, the children of the Peisistratids were caught as they were being smuggled out of the country for safety. This disaster upset all their plans; in order to recover the children they were forced to accept the Athenians’ terms and agreed to leave Attica within five days. They afterwards withdrew to Sigeion on the Scamander… this then is the story of how Athens was freed from despotism.

Herod. V. 64-5

The Reforms of Kleisthenes •  Division of Attica into 139 demes (municipalities) •  The demes were grouped into:

–  10 phylai (tribes) –  and each tribe divided into 3 trittyes – Citizenship, political and military organisation were

based on these new units •  Boule (council) of 500 formed from 50

representatives of each of the 10 tribes •  NB isonomia = equality under the law; demos =

people, kratos = power

Image Source Page:

h5p://iris.haverford.edu/athens/2009/09/25/demes-‐of-‐aFca/

Demes of Attica

Athenian Democracy •  Political rights restricted to adult male Athenian citizens (ie not

women, slaves or foreigners) •  Full political rights acquired at the age of 30 (ie could be a candidate

for a magistracy, juror) •  Ekklesia (assembly): all adult male citizens over 20 yrs belonged to

this; any could speak •  Boule (Council of 500) met every day except on holidays;

considered business to be put before the assembly •  By the later 5th century appointment to the boule was by lot for a

year; by the 4th century service was limited to 2 years for an individual

•  Each group of 50 men (from the 10 tribes) also served as prytaneis for a tenth of the year

•  Also law courts (dikasteria)

Image source page: h5p://www.agathe.gr/id/agora/image/2002.01.0873

Restored plan of the Agora, end of the 5th cent. BC

The Royal Stoa (Stoa Basileios) Mid-‐‑late 6th cent. Aristotle (?) Ath.Pol. 57

Model of the Royal Stoa (without wings) Late 6th cent. BC?


Model of the Royal Stoa (with wings) Late 5th cent. BC




Restored plan of the Agora, end of the 5th cent. BC


Plan of the Tholos New Bouleuterion and Old Bouleterion, Athenian Agora

The Tholos (Athenian Agora)

Photo © Gillian Shepherd

Model of the Tholos

5th cent. dining crockery (ligature delta/epsilon ie DE = demosion)



Gateway to the New Bouleuterion

Reconstruction of the New Bouleuterion plan (NB with alternative arrangement of curved seating)



Plan of New and Old Bouleuteria (nb metroon)

Image source page: h5p://www.agathe.gr/id/agora/drawing/pd%202549

Monument of the Eponymous heroes c. 330 BC




Ostraka (for voting for ostracism) cast against Aristeides son of Lysimachos, Themistokles son of Neokles, Kimon son of Miltiades, Perikles son of Xanthippos

Image source page: h5p://www.agathe.gr/id/Agora/Image/2007.11.1092

Model of the Athenian Agora c. 400 BC (view from the south-east) Photo © Gillian Shepherd

The Pnyx


Image source page: h5p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pnyx-‐berg2.png

Image source page: h5p://www.agathe.gr/image?id=Agora:Image:2008.18.0013&w=800&h=600

The Agora in the 2nd century AD

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