Classical Athens

Ancient Athenian democracy is often considered the forerunner to modern democracies in the west. Built upon the concepts of equality and liberty, Athenian democracy was a radical break from the oligarchic styles of government that dominated the Classical age of Greece. However, for all its supposed equality, two notable groups of people were excluded from participating in democratic government. Women and slaves were still second class in the eyes of the Athenian democracy. They possessed no…

ancient Greece are the city-states of Sparta and Athens. Despite the fact that these two city-states had several similarities, they were different in several radical ways. The political, social, and militaristic evolution of these two powers is what stands them apart. The early history of the two poleis were similar considering their establishments of government. Initially governed by a council of nobles-which represented the king’s authority-, early Athens was at a rocky growth due to…

In addition, Athens owed much of its power to its navy, which was largely serviced by the poor thetes. The democratic system rewarded the poor laborers for their service to Athens. Athenian democracy was also successful in that it was generally very stable. Of all the democracies in ancient Greece, Athens’ was the most radical. Nonetheless, it was also the most stable and the most long-lived. Furthermore, as a democratic state, Athens became the most powerful state in Greece. Athens was an…

Kelsey Hubbard Maureen Hawkins English 2200 February 28, 2017 Dance, Drink, and Coitus: Aristophanes’ Lysistrata In the plays of ancient Athens were topical reflections on the politics of the times, and according to Worthen, such relevancy was particularly present in satiric comedies (13). The works of Greek playwright Aristophanes were no exception in this regard. As Klaus et al. points out, Aristophanes lived and wrote his plays in turbulent times, and that perhaps influenced his literature…

The city of Athens was self-consciously and decidedly democratic, autonomous, and prosperous. Athenian democracy is the paradigm of civic freedom in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them. The “rule of the people”. A government by the people and for the people. In a very real sense, the people of Athens governed themselves, debating and voting individually on issues of varying importance. Democracy in Athens was not merely limited to giving people the…

Athens was the birth place of democracy, it was around 507BC when the Athenian leader Cleisthenes introduced a series of political reforms known as the demokratia, which means ‘rule by the people’ (Cartledge, 2011) The following essay will assess the demokratia, arguing that ancient Athens was a real democracy. The first consideration is the great quality of democracy displayed in the Athenian political system. Then, the institutions that Athens had in place were democratic and produced…

this society contributed to the development of democracy in Athens which has become one of the most beneficial forms of government…

field in the study of Ancient Greek economies. In constant flux as new hoards are found and their analyses published, ideas regarding what motivated Greeks to begin striking metal pieces with stamps play an integral role in understanding archaic and classical Greece. However, some economists and historians question the way issues of money are approached. Economist Maria Pia Paganelli argues that asking what money is “for”, as if some individual invented it for a specific purpose, leads to a…

ancient Greece have been aptly credited and honored, but some negative aspects have been idealized or overlooked. The United State government built its foundation using many components from Grecian governments of antiquity, especially Athens’. The democratic system in Athens allowed for all male citizens to contribute to the government. This gave the middle and lower classes more influence, instead of the upper class…

The Archaic and Classical periods of Greece, which lasted from 700 to 320 BCE, were a time of change and development. Though Greece, like many other civilizations, experienced times of war and expansion, they also managed to develop an extremely distinct culture. Various aspects of this culture, such as mythology, theater, and government, help demonstrate the values that the Greeks had. While Greek values may not seem to be inherently related to one another, principles such as hubris and the…