Warring City-States

Greek civilization declined during the Dorian period. Dorians and Myceaneans alike began to identify less with the culture or their ancestors once more with their surroundings. By the end of the period they became more like city states.

Rule and order in Greek city-states

by 750 BC, the polis was the fundamental political unit in Ancient Greece. The polis was made up of a city and its surrounding country side. City staes usually covered/ controlled 50-500 sq.  miles of the territory. They usually housed 10,000 residents. The agora or acropolis citizens gathered to discuss political actions.

Types of Government in City-states

• Monarchy -  Ruled by a king
• Aristocracy - Ruled by a group of land owning, noble families 
• Oligarchy - Ruled by a few powerful people

Tyrants seized power - Tyrants (usually noble/ powerful people) would gather groups of citizens and fight for the right and wants of the common people. The people enjoyed being able to have a say in their government, especially in Athens, which eventually led to the formation of democracy.

Building Democracy

Draco's code began Democracy. Draco, a noble man in power in 621 BCE, made a code that allowed ALL Athenians to be equal. The code also gave almost all criminals the death sentence . It also made people in debt become slaves to repay their debts. Democracy was advanced further when solon came into power in 594 BCE. He created a caste system which only allowed members from the top 3 castes could hold political office. However, he let all people participate in Athenian assembly. 

PWRPNT

• Polis - A fundamental political unit, made up of a city and the surrounding countryside 
• Politics - (affair of the citizens), policy, political, etc
• Monarchy - Rule by a single person (a king)
• 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.

Transformation of Government 

• During the 7th and 6th centuries BCE, aristocrats ran the show in most of Greece
• Back then, rich people wielded much more influence in society, and held much more governmental power, than the middle class or the poor
• It is like that in America right now, MANY governmental officials are multimillionaires.

Aristocracy - 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 heteras (courtesans) while discussing politics

Politics - an exclusive club

• No women (except the "entertainment")
• No middle class
• No slaves
• Sometimes even certain aristocrats who fell out of favor or did not have the right connections 

Tyrants seize control

• Sometimes aristocrats would form alliances with hoplites (well-armed soldiers), and set up an alternative form of government called a tyranny 
• Tyrant - someone who rules outside the framework of the polis
• Modern meaning of tyrant - an abusive or oppressive ruler
• the Greek meaning of tyrant - someone who simply seized power (usually with hoplite help)

Rules, codes, and laws

• Draco (621 BCE) 
• Draconian - harsh punishment 
• All athenians (rich or poor) are equal in the law
• Death is the punishment for many crimes
• Debt slavery is OK (work as a salve to repay debts)

Solons reforms (594 BCE)

• Outlaws debt slavery
• all Athenian citizens can speak at the assembly
• any citizens can press charges against wrongdoers

Eventually leading to ... Cleisthenes 

•  more reforms (around 500 BCE)
• Allowed all citizens to submit ;was for debate at the assembly.
• created the council of Five Hundred (members chosen at random to council the assembly) 
• Can you see this leading to democracy?
• BUT .. only free adult male property owners born in athens were considered citizens 

Rewind to ... clash of the tyrants 

• Hippias was a tyrant who ruled from 527 to 510 BCE.
• His brother was murder and his rule became harsh
• Eventually he was expelled from Athens (this is classed ostracized)
• In revenge, he began working with the Persian King Darius I, helping them invade marathon

Next in line

• With Hippies gone, Isagoras and Cleisthenes (both aristocrats) engaged in a power struggle
• Isagoras had support from some fellow aristocrats, plus from Sparta
• Cleisthenes had support of the majority of Athenians 

Isagoras wins! (but not for long)

• Isagoras becomes archon eponymous (tyrant)
• He ostracizes 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 flew and was banished 
• 508 BCE! Beginning of democracy!

Cleisthenes and Democracy 

• Cleisthenes - definitely a member of the elite
• Very Rich
• Insulated from the "hoi polloi"
• but ... a crafty politician
• saw the value of tapping into the talents, intelligence, and energies of the non- aristocrats (the middle class)
• No women