The Democracy Of The Classical Period Of Athens - 1619 Words

Democracy, the form of government in which there is a rule by the people, is said to have originated and thrived in the classical period of Athens, from 500-350 B.C.. Democracy inherently gave all that were considered citizens power to participate in politics. That being said, it is highly debated as to how much power the people, also known as the demos, exercised in this democracy. Many practices and informal institutions can be said to have limited the power of the demos. The democracy in Athens could be said to have been a democracy in theory yet not in practice, as can be proven through a variety of primary sources recounting Athenian political institutions and practices. Such primary sources that can demonstrate this include Herodotus’ History, Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War, and Demosthenes’ Oration Against Eubulides. Tyranny was the primary form of power that was in place prior the democracy of the classical period. In Herotodus’ History 1.59-63, Herotodus goes in depth on the tyrant Peisistratos, who assumed power as tyrant three times over the course of 360-340 B.C. (Herotodus 2). On his third attempt, he rallied support from partisans of the capital of Marathon and other country districts â€Å"who loved tyranny better than freedom† (Herotodus 1.62). Eventually, the tyranny began to become harsh on the Athenians through Pisistratus’ son Hippias (5.62), the tyranny was in turn overthrow , after a 36-year dynasty of the Pisistratid family ruling over theShow MoreRelatedComparing The And The Odyssey998 Words   |  4 Pagesforeigners. The main differences between Sparta and Athens were that Athens welcomed individuality and creativity while Sparta sought stability and conformity. Athens acted as free people and had a true democracy and was eager to learn new ideas. On the other hand the Spartans created little art and militaristically driven. Both were strong city-states but had different views and ideas on how daily life should be carried out. 4. The Greeks idea of a democracy was that all male citizens (1/5 of the population)Read MoreDBQ Classical Athens and Han China: How Great Were Their Differences974 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Carlos Rico AP World Civ. Mrs. Carter 10/7/13 Per. 6 Classical Athens and Han China share major similarities yet they have distinct differences. Their form of government was different because Han China had an emperor and Classical Athens ran a democracy. When it came to the children both Classical Athens and Han China the murder of a child was justified. Also women in both Empires played a similar role in society. When you have two great empires they always seem to share common componentsRead MoreEssay on Chapter 4 Notes ( Earth and Its People) 3rd Edition677 Words   |  3 Pageswhere records, documents and writings were kept †¢ Democracy in Athens †¢ Athens had a form of taxes. †¢ Sophists – traveling teachers †¢ Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle C. Inequality in Classical Greece †¢ Slaves were non-Greek who were â€Å"living pieces of property† but were mostly treated humanely because they formed relationships with their owners. †¢ Women in Sparta had rights and were outspoken and had public visibility. †¢ Women of Athens had arranged marriages and were kept indoors and wereRead MoreAncient Greek And Modern Western Civilization872 Words   |  4 PagesThe Greek Classical Period is a time in Greek history that lasted for 200 years and was followed by the Hellenistic Period. It is considered to be a foundational culture of modern Western civilization due its heavy influence on language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, science, art, and architecture. Many English words come from the Ancient Greek language. For this reason, Ancient Greek is considered one of the most important languages for today’s English speakers. There are even schoolsRead MoreHow Significant Was Greek Democracy In Its Development1190 Words   |  5 Pagessignificant was Greek Democracy in its development during the Classical Greek Era? Classical Greek Era, one of the most advanced eras ahead of its time. However, what made the democracy that the Greeks established so significant to the Greece’s overall development? How did they do it? How did the Greek democracy last for long as it did? What factors caused the downfall of the infamous Greek democracy? Development of Athenian (Greek) Society Ancient Greece was the first to establish a democracy. In Greek democracyRead MoreAncient Greece and Its Influence on Western Society Essay928 Words   |  4 Pageslot of geometry; this is why geometry became so big in their society. The math of ancient Greece can be broken up into three periods: the early period, the classical period, and the helenistic period. The early period, was when people were first beginning to be interested in mathematics, this is when Pythagoras first came up with is the theorem. During the classical period a man by the name of Euclid, wrote a book titled The Elements, this book was a textbook to help people understand the basicsRead More Athens VS Sparta Essay818 Words   |  4 Pages During the late Archaic Greek and Classical periods, two particular city-states were in existence with significant similarities as well as differences. These two city-states, Sparta and Athens have unique formations of government, histories, goals, as well as societies. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;After experiencing the effects of a rising population and shortage of arable land, the Spartans moved through their mountainous western frontier in hope of seeking a new spacious land to live upon. TheirRead MoreGreek City States Vs. Modern Greece1244 Words   |  5 Pagescity-states are perfect examples of historian Peter Stearn’s definition of classical civilizations. At the height of its power between the 5th and 4th centuries, Greece’s land included â€Å"Asia Minor (in modern Turkey), southern Italy, the island of Sicily, and the Greek islands.† (Hornblower) Most of these territories were independently governed and had strong political systems primarily democracy which was born in Athens and became the basis for modern democratic governments in the United StatesRead MoreGreek Mythology And Its Impact On Modern Culture1055 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween citizens and Metics. A citizen who was born with Athenian parents could take a position in the government after an obligatory time in the army they were expected to be government officials. However, Metics were foreigners that had migrated to Athens, to trade or work their craft. Metics paid taxes and were also required to serve in the army but were not considered full citizens, they were not allowed to own land or hold government positions. Social classes were exclusively for men, women acquiredRead MoreDifferences And Similarities Between Ancient Greece And Rome864 Words   |  4 PagesTheir first similarity is in their government. In Greece, Pericles was an important figure in Athenian politics between 461 B.C. And 429 B.C., during this time Athens expanded its empire abroad while democracy grew at home. The period of classical Athenian and Greek history was called the Age of Pericles. Pericles created a direct democracy, which is a system of government in which the people participate directly in government decision making through mass meetings, in th is system all male citizens