History Of Democracy In Ancient Greece
There are many different historical events that have shaped Greece into what it is today, but the most dominant one would be is the start of democracy. Greece has a long history of struggling with the Government. Still to this day they have problems with the Government just like any other Country in the world. Through the years of figuring out their Government they were the first Country to lead to a democracy. The story of Greece starting up democracy is a long story with a few disrupts in the process. Democracy comes from the Greek word Demos. Demos is translated into English as the village. There are many different translations of demos another one being the people. With the translations in mind what the Greeks were trying do here. This is the start of how democracy became of what we know it as today.
Before the start of democracy, they had many different lawgivers that began working their way to a democracy but then had fell through at times. The first law that was written down was my Draco, he ruled from 621-500 BCE. He was a lawgiver to Athens that built statues. The statues on homicide aimed to put an end to blood revenge and arbitrary violence. Around this time was the first time that laws were publicly displayed on wooden blocks. Not only were the laws displayed but they had communal institutions that were involved in dealing with offenses-written laws enforced by courts.
After Draco a lawgiver named Solon came into control and had reforms in 594. Solon’s first law was called Seisachtheia (shaking-off of burdens). This law was the liberation of tenant farmers from their obligations. This also meant that the citizens of Athens were divided into four classes. The classes were pentakosiomedimhhnoi (bushel men), hippies (horsemen), zeugitai (farmers with a team of oxen), and thetes which had little or no landed property. Within the four classes the first three classes were fought as hoplites in the citizen army. A hoplite was a soldier that was an ordinary citizen of the city-state. The important part to Solon’s reforms was that all citizens were equal in the popular assembly. Within the popular assembly only members of the first and second classes were able to hold office of archon. Solon was a major part in helping to form the democracy in ancient Greece.
After Solon the start of democracy had gone downhill for a little bit in 546- 510 BCE. During this period of time Peisistratos had become a tyrant to Athens. He was a tyrant from 546-527 BCE. After his death his sons Hippias and Hipparchos took control from 527-510 BCE. Peisistratos had formed a third faction and with that he entered Agora. Once he had entered Agora, or the city center he announced that he was attacked by his rivals. He asked the Athenians for bodyguards that consisted with club-bearers. With the body guards he then seized the Acropolis which set himself up as tyrant. During his tyranny he maintained laws and had elections every year. He also made it possible for citizens to be engaged in litigation without having to travel. There were loans given to the poor at low interest rate. Along with a five percent tax on produce. Peisistratos used capital works during his tyranny. Using capital works helped enhanced the city’s infrastructure and to it gave work to craftsmen. Peisistratos died in 528 BC ending his tyranny, but his sons continued on with the control. His son Hipparchos was assonated later on. Few years later the other son, Hippias ruled for four more years until he was driven out by the Spartans. From here Kelisthenes had started reforms in 508 which lead to the democracy that we now know of today.
After the fall of the tyranny Athens was once again threatened of an autocrat. Which in past years an autocrat had made violence among the Athenians. Thanks to Kleisthenes Athens was not threatened by an autocrat. He made a great impact to the Athenians by not falling for violence when Athens was threatened by an autocrat. Not falling into violence gave the Athenians hope for what was to come. Kleisthenes was the first politician to be appealed directly to the community of Athenian citizens. He was able to realize that the Athenians were wanting to participate in political affairs. Realizing this he made a reform, so Athens would not turn back to the old ways. The reform had split up the most powerful families whose influence was the strongest. The new system had made every male citizen fall into the deme, the community or village. The deme they would fall into would be from where they were born. From the reform things started to build up to a democracy. After having set rule for the deme there soon began categories that had different tasks and abilities.
Kleisthenes had just disappeared from history after he made his reform and got it started up. After his disappearance Athens continued to develop and grow the democracy. They had eventually set up institutions that were able to help with different political affairs. The three institutions were the Ekklesia (Assembly), The Boule (Council), and the Dikasteria (popular courts). These three institutions were there to help make decisions and to further grow the democracy of Athens.
Ekklesia or the Assembly was the most important institution that was developed. It was the sovereign governing body for Athens. The Assembly had the power to rule over the other two institutions. One important thing about Ekklesia was that any member of the demos was welcome to attend the meetings. Meetings were held forty times per year on a hillside auditorium. The auditorium was known as the Pnyx. To be a member of the Assembly you had to be eighteen years of age and had to be a citizen of Athens. During their meetings they made decisions about war and foreign policy, wrote and revised laws, and approved or condemned the conduct of public officials. The Assembly had many important jobs to do and accomplish during the meetings. If the Ekklesia had to make a vote between things, they would rule it out by majority. So, if the majority had voted for something then that was what won the vote.
The next most important institution was the Boule. The Boule consisted of 500 men with fifty from each of the ten Athenian tribes. The tribes served on the council for one year. The council met every day and did most of the hand-on work. They supervised the Government workers and was in charge of triremes (ships) and army horses. The council also had to deal with ambassador and representatives from other city sates. Their mains function was to decide what matters would have to come before the Ekklesia. The 500 men were chosen by lot and bot be elections. Meaning that it was chosen out of a basket with everyone’s names in there. The Boule didn’t have many obligations like the Assembly, but it was still very crucial to keep the democracy running.
The Dikasteria or popular courts was the last institution that was created. This institution consisted of about 500 jurors who were about every day by a lot from a pool of male citizens older than 30. The jury itself had almost unlimited power. This was because there were no police in Athens, so it was demos themselves who brought court cases in for the jurors. The jurors argued for prosecution and defense and would deliver verdicts and sentences by majority rule. The jurors were paid for their work. The money for the Jurors wages came from customs duties, contributions from allies and taxes levied on the metoikoi. The Dikasteria was an important role to keep the rules and laws intact throughout Athens.
These events that happened in Greece history has only shaped the Government of Greece today. The Democracy that was started in the 5th century only led to a better and more developed democracy. Greece still follows the roles of a democracy today. They now have a prime minister, and cabinet, a president, and a parliament. There are many more functions within the Government. These roles within the democracy are very similar to the ones that they had back in the 5th century. Just like they once did before the President is elected for a five year term and is eligible for reelection for only one additional term. The Presidents roles are declaring war, doing agreements of peace and alliances. One thing that had been added since the 5th century would be the cabinet must countersign any emergency powers concluded by the president.
