During the period from 463BC to 451BC, the Athenian government underwent major transformations, forming it into an Empire with a new form of democratic government. These transformations were led by individuals such as Pericles and resisted by the conservative party in particular Cimon. Under Pericles’ leadership, laws were passed within the Athenian assembly which transformed their political system into a democratic government. The transformations within the government greatly benefited the citizens of Athens, particularly the Thetes, however while it gave direct power to the Thetes it restricted the upper class citizens power and influence within Athens. Due to the restriction of the Areopagus, clubs were established by the wealthy in order
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Previously they were unable to have any role within the law courts, with no power to challenge cases or give an opinion, however it was due to the transfer of power and the fixed wage offered to jury members that people were able to question the actions of political officials. Aristotle describes such a process, “If any citizen wishes to prefer a charge, either of a private or public nature, against any of the officials who have rendered their accounts at an euthyna, within three days he must write on a whitened board his own name, and the name of the man he accuses, the offense with which he charges him, and the fine he considers appropriate. (Ath. Pol. 48.4).” Additionally, ten times a year the assembly held a vote to determine the efforts of military generals regarding affairs, if the people were to vote against an individual then he would be tried in court. As elected office conferred prestige, officials were carefully examined if they were to undermine the rule of the people. This enablement of power allowed the Thetes to have control over the officials as each official would regularly go under investigation by the ‘Euthonoi’. The provision of a fixed wage for jury members, gave the masses an incentive to partake in the jury courts. Their involvement in the courts provided the selection of …show more content…
It was evident that Pericles desired Athens to move forward, towards an image of unmatched equality. Athens’ reliance on oppressive regimes on the masses diminished, transforming herself from an oppressive state to a democracy which utilised the full energy of its people creating a state of unprecedented potential. However, Athens wouldn’t have changed if Pericles’ reforms which were introduced during the ten year period from 461-451BC in an attempt by Pericles himself to overpower Cimon were introduced, transforming the system of government and upsetting the stability between classes in Athens. While the reforms introduced greatly benefitted the Thetes, the restriction of the Areopagus and the enablement of Thetes to take part in the judicial law courts, took away the upper classes’ superiority over the Thetes both socially and politically causing there to be a great division between the two classes in Athens threatening the stability of the city and its political system for years to come. The establishment of the Four Hundred, enabled individuals such as Peisander and his oligarchic conspirators to take power over the assembly and the demos and simultaneously establish an ‘extreme’ oligarchy which was an attempt to regain their long lost power and superiority of the Thetes which was given to the lower class by
Previously they were unable to have any role within the law courts, with no power to challenge cases or give an opinion, however it was due to the transfer of power and the fixed wage offered to jury members that people were able to question the actions of political officials. Aristotle describes such a process, “If any citizen wishes to prefer a charge, either of a private or public nature, against any of the officials who have rendered their accounts at an euthyna, within three days he must write on a whitened board his own name, and the name of the man he accuses, the offense with which he charges him, and the fine he considers appropriate. (Ath. Pol. 48.4).” Additionally, ten times a year the assembly held a vote to determine the efforts of military generals regarding affairs, if the people were to vote against an individual then he would be tried in court. As elected office conferred prestige, officials were carefully examined if they were to undermine the rule of the people. This enablement of power allowed the Thetes to have control over the officials as each official would regularly go under investigation by the ‘Euthonoi’. The provision of a fixed wage for jury members, gave the masses an incentive to partake in the jury courts. Their involvement in the courts provided the selection of …show more content…
It was evident that Pericles desired Athens to move forward, towards an image of unmatched equality. Athens’ reliance on oppressive regimes on the masses diminished, transforming herself from an oppressive state to a democracy which utilised the full energy of its people creating a state of unprecedented potential. However, Athens wouldn’t have changed if Pericles’ reforms which were introduced during the ten year period from 461-451BC in an attempt by Pericles himself to overpower Cimon were introduced, transforming the system of government and upsetting the stability between classes in Athens. While the reforms introduced greatly benefitted the Thetes, the restriction of the Areopagus and the enablement of Thetes to take part in the judicial law courts, took away the upper classes’ superiority over the Thetes both socially and politically causing there to be a great division between the two classes in Athens threatening the stability of the city and its political system for years to come. The establishment of the Four Hundred, enabled individuals such as Peisander and his oligarchic conspirators to take power over the assembly and the demos and simultaneously establish an ‘extreme’ oligarchy which was an attempt to regain their long lost power and superiority of the Thetes which was given to the lower class by