History Athenian democracy

cleisthenes

not long afterwards, nascent democracy overthrown tyrant peisistratos, reinstated after expulsion of son, hippias, in 510. sort of aristocratic takeover ended appeal 1 contender, cleisthenes, support of populace. reforms of cleisthenes in 508/7 undermined domination of aristocratic families , connected every athenian city s rule. cleisthenes fixed boundaries of polis political rather geographical entity – boundaries solon had left permeable – formally identifying free inhabitants of attica @ time athenian citizens. did making traditional tribes politically irrelevant , instituting ten new tribes, each made of 3 trytties, each consisting of several demes. every male citizen on reaching age of 18 registered in deme. registration confirmed citizenship.

a third set of reforms instigated ephialtes in 462/1. while opponents away attempting assist spartans, ephialtes persuaded assembly reduce powers of areopagus: in effect stripping of controlling , supervisory powers , leaving court cases of homicide , offences of sacrilege. @ same time or afterwards, membership of areopagus extended lower level of propertied citizenship.

in wake of athens disastrous defeat in sicilian campaign in 413 bce, group of citizens took steps limit radical democracy thought leading city ruin. efforts, conducted through constitutional channels, culminated in establishment of oligarchy, council of 400, in athenian coup of 411 bce. oligarchy endured 4 months before replaced more democratic government. democratic regimes governed until athens surrendered sparta in 404 bce, when government placed in hands of so-called thirty tyrants, pro-spartan oligarchs. after year pro-democracy elements regained control, , democratic forms persisted until macedonian army of phillip ii conquered athens in 338 bc.

aftermath

alexander great had led coalition of greek states war persia in 336 bc, greek soldiers hostages behavior of states as allies. relations athens strained when returned babylon in 324 bc; after death, athens , sparta led several greek states war macedon , lost.

this led hellenistic control of athens, when macedonian king appointed local agent political governor in athens. however, governors, demetrius of phalerum, appointed cassander, kept of traditional institutions in formal existence, although athenian public consider them nothing more macedonian puppet dictators. once demetrius poliorcetes ended cassander s rule on athens, demetrius of phalerum went exile , democracy restored in 307 bc. however, athens had become politically impotent . example of that, in 307, in order curry favour macedonia , egypt, 3 new tribes created, 2 in honour of macedonian king , son, , other in honour of egyptian king.

however, when rome fought macedonia in 200, athenians abolished first 2 new tribes , created twelfth tribe in honour of pergamene king. athenians declared rome, , in 146 bc athens became autonomous civitas foederata. independence little more municipal, and, though forms of democracy survived, rome ... strengthened aristocratic elements in constitution.

under roman rule, archons ranked highest officials. elected, , foreigners such domitian , hadrian held office mark of honour. 4 presided on judicial administration. council (whose numbers varied @ different times 3 hundred 7 hundred , fifty) appointed lot. superseded in importance areopagus, which, recruited elected archons, had aristocratic character , entrusted wide powers. time of hadrian imperial curator superintended finances. shadow of old constitution lingered on , archons , areopagus survived fall of roman empire.

in 88 bc, there revolution under philosopher athenion, who, tyrant, forced assembly agree elect whomever might ask office. athenion allied mithridates of pontus, , went war rome; killed during war, , replaced aristion. victorious roman general, publius cornelius sulla, left athenians lives , did not sell them slavery; restored previous government, in 86 bc.

after rome became empire under augustus, nominal independence of athens dissolved , government converged normal type roman municipality, senate of decuriones.