1. Early Government in Athens
Steps to Democracy

2. Early Origins City-state was controlled by the land-owning aristocracy
Provided military backbone (only ones who could afford armour)
Governed through a council led by three officials
Nobles often put their interests ahead of other inhabitants
Citizens who were not nobles were powerless

3. Early Origins: Power Shift
System brought resentment
Merchants demanded more political power
Small farmers forced into debt due to poor harvests
Had to sell to a nobleman and become a tenant or a slave
Skilled tradesmen resented their inability to become citizens
All this discontent led to violence

5. Draco 621 BCE: Athenian officials appointed
Draco to draw up a written code
Wanted to prevent a civil war
Law was very harsh (death penalty for many offences)
Public law – to be applied equally to all classes
Came up with the idea of “intent” in murder cases
Did not work out so well… still violence over next 25 years

6. Draconian Law
Any debtor whose status was lower than that of his creditor was forced into slavery
Death penalty appropriate for stealing even as little as a cabbage
Plutarch:
It is said that Drakon himself, when asked why he had fixed the punishment of death for most offences, answered that he considered these lesser crimes to deserve it, and he had no greater punishment for more important ones.

7. Solon 594 BCE: Next person chosen to ease tensions
Archon = special magistrate to problem-solve
between aristocrats and common citizens
Proposed that citizens could decide local issues
Underlying principle of democracy!
Abolished debt slavery
Freed citizens previously forced to sell selves into slavery
Limited amount of land someone could buy
Extended citizenship to some skilled immigrants
Limited exports of grain to solve food shortages

8. Importance of Solon
Started Athens on the path to becoming a great trade centre
Ordinary citizens gained greater political power
All wealthy men (aristocrat or not) allowed to run for gov’t offices
Council of 400
100 citizens from each of the 4 traditional tribes elected to prepare legislation to be voted on by the Citizen Assembly
Reformed Draco’s law code
Citizens could bring issues against
other citizens to court
Tried by other citizens who owned
property

9. Tyranny of Peisistratus
560 BCE: Took power after continual tensions surrounding land ownership
Tyrannos (tyrant) = one who seizes power unconstitutionally (for good or bad)
Used a coup that was popular with the people
Took land from nobles and gave to peasants
Reduced nobles’ privileges
Added buildings to the Acropolis
Trade and business thrived
At death in 527 BCE, power handed to son Hippias

10. Tyranny of Cleisthenes
508 BCE: Overthrew Peisistratus’ son after Spartan
siege of Athens in 510 BCE
Organized people into 10 tribes based on area of residence
Council of 500
Gov’t leaders chosen by lot, not blood
Introduced ostracism
Anyone thought to be a threat to Athens was exiled
for 10 years
Set Athens on path to democracy
“demos” (people); “kratos” (rule)

11. Pericles 461-429 BCE: leader of Athens
Army General
Claimed to be “the first citizen of Athens”
Turned Athens into an empire
Promoted arts and literature
Athens became the cultural and educational centre of the Greek world
Built up Acropolis even more – Parthenon
“Created” Athenian democracy
Critics say he catered too much to the people

13. The Assembly (Ecclesia)
Every male citizen over 18 had the right to speak
Met about every 10 days
At least 6,000 citizens had to be present for a meeting to take place
If not enough present, police sent out to gather more
Debated and voted on laws drawn up by the Council
Majority rule
Possible decisions:
Tax increases for necessary services
Foreign policy and military operations

14. The Council (Boule)
Drew up new laws to be debated and voted on by the Assembly
Made up of 500 citizens
50 from each of the 10 tribes of Athens
Councillors chosen each year by lot
Responsible for day-to-day running of the state

15. The Archons
9 chosen each year by lot
Performed ceremonial duties

16. The Strategoi
10 military commanders chosen on basis of merit from the 10 tribes of Athens
Elected every year, could be re-elected
Implemented laws decided by Council and Assembly
Accountable to Assembly for actions and money spent