- Democracy sprung from Kliesthenes (508/06), continued to develop for two centuries.
- Athens was a direct, not representative democracy
- Dictatorship for the proletariat (an important point to raise in response to the old Oligarch, the rich and powerful thought little of democracy).
- Radical democracy of 462 – Ephialtes.
- Ekklesia – the assembly.
- Boule – 500 men.
- Fifty Prutaneis – it was their duty to call the assembly to order.
- Chairman of the Prutaneis was the chairman of the Ekklesia. He read out the agenda, and called speakers forward.
- The boule decided on the matters to be sent to the assembly and in what form they would appear. The Ekklesia then amended the boule’s proposal. They were a prior deliberation council.
- The Ekklesia initially had meetings of 5000 at busy times. Around 400, compensation for the time lost in the Ekklesia was introduced, this swelled attendance to 13000 on a busy day.
- The Ekklesia was dominated by rhetores, who had the ability to speak well, and were often called upon to speak. In the 5th C BCE, the ten strategoi would also be rhetores often. The rhetores generally represented small groups of likeminded people
- The Boule was selected from the Ekklesia. Bouleutai served one year terms. 50 men from each of the ten tribes. The boule saw that the decisions of the Ekklesia were carried out – almost an administrative body.
- The Areopagus. It was the governing body of the polis. The chief office of the Athenian state.
- Its power diminished over time – taken by other branches, notably, the strategoi. It eventually became largely unimportant, but kept some powers, such as ‘guardian on of the laws’
- Its members were elected. 9 Arkhontes.
- In 501 the new office of the strategoi was created. 10 members, one from each of the tribes made by kliesthenes.
- Strategoi were elected and often listened to at the Ekklesia. If they spoke they could be killed however. The strategoi could be re-elected an indefinite amount of times.
- There was usually between 500-700 public officials at any point in time.
- The thesmothetai were the six officials who conducted justice over Athens.
- The demos loved exercising power through the courts
- In the 5th BCE, there was between 201 and 2501 jurors, who were selected from a roll of 6000. In the 4th BCE, it was by anyone who volunteered. The jurors acted as both judge and jury.
- Individuals brought the case before the jury and it was divided between private and public matters.
- Graphe paranomon was the cases heard regarding unconstitutional laws being introduced. Resulted in fines and suspension of laws.
- The cases were outlined by the two sides. There was no procedure and often the witnesses were shouted down. Slaves could only give evidence if tortured, due to their deceptive nature.
- The stages of trial were: discussion in front of witness, discussion with a board of arbitrators, then to the agora, where the archon heard your case and decide if it was actionable. The preliminary hearing would be public arbitration, where the evidence was presented. If no agreement could be reached, the evidence would be brought before the courts.
- If the punishment is not prescribed, then the jurors voted on punishment.
- The punishment was often difficult to enforce. Inability to pay a fine meant land could be taken, if it wasn’t, the case was brought again before the courts, sometimes numerous times until a more severe punishment was given, such as loss of citizens’ rights or death.
- Incomes came from fines, taxes on metics, market dues, and rents from mines.
- Money also came from tributes from enemies.
- The cost of the system increased once the jurors started earning pay. Most of the money went into administration costs.
- Liturgies were taxes on people who owned a certain amount of land. There was also war levies.
- A special board of grain inspectors supervised grain imports from surrounding areas.
- Athens’ urban population required grain to survive, which had to be imported. Trade based.
- It was illegal for any Athenian to ship grain to any port other than Athens.
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