Growth of political thought in archaic Greece (750-500 BCE)

1
Growth of political thought in archaic Greece
(750-500 BCE)

• No sacred kingships, no subordination to divine
  will
• Topography contributed to emergence of poleis
• Aristocracy, with basic equality with kings
  subject to criticism, was ambitious but could not
  prevent the rise of the middling group
• Archaic Greece witnessed social change and
  crises population increases, colonization, trade
  and seafaring, violent clashes between
  aristocrats and the middle, all led to primacy of
  polis over oikos
• Conflict resolution necessary, often including
  the panhellenic sanctuary/oracle of Delphi
• Dissatisfaction with ruling elite led to
  refuation of its values, norms and attitudes

2
Shifts in ideology fostered democracy in Greece
ca. 800

• Principle of Consideration of Interests Each
  citizen is afforded equal respect and equal right
  to be heard, reserving the possibility that some
  citizens may be able to decide what is in
  everyones best interests and are thus qualified
  to make the decisions for the community

3
Shifts in ideology fostered democracy in Greece
ca. 500

• to meson, the middle, was not a class but an
  ideological construct, open to all citizens, and
  the aristocrats either
• formed their own alternate fellowships,
  (symposia) or
• conceded to the Strong Principle of Equality
• No external source of authority made the
  aristocrats, or any group, better qualified than
  any other, so that the aristocrats need not
  automatically be entrusted with the
  responsibility for making collective and binding
  decisions
• Democracy required a military crisis it was not
  possible for aristocrats to represent to meson
• Communities turned to citizens to make decisions

4
Athens prelude to democracy

• Aristokratia power of the best
• Threats to power hoplite revolution, leading to
  armed citizens power
• Emergence of tyrannoi (sg. tyrannos) usurpers
  of rule of Eupatridai
• Athens 1st coup Kylon, 632 BCE
• Emergence of a lawcode

5
Drakons Law on Homicide what principles matter?

• Why create a lawcode ca. 621 BCE? Response to
  power of the Eupatridai? Rising discontent?
• Details
• Even if without premeditation someone kills
  someone, he shall be exiled.
• Pardon may be granted if the father (of the
  victim) is alive, or brothers, or sons, by all of
  them in agreement, or the one opposing it shall
  prevail.
• Proclamation shall be made against the homicide
  in the agora by relatives (of the victim).
• If the killing was (later determined to be
  involuntary) he may be admitted into the
  country .
• What principles matter?

6
Solon

• Sources Aristotle (4th C. BCE) an Atthis (4th
  c.?) Plutarch Solon Solon himself
• What were the conditions under which Solon
  functioned what circumstances did he face? What
  options did he have? How did he resolve these
  problems?

7
Land, debt and Solon

• Limited arable land, increasing debt ?Hektemoroi
  1/6th-parters (debt-slaves)
• Political divisions among the wealthy the
  Eupatridai, other well-to-do Athenians
• Political divisions between the wealthy and the
  lower classes, who did not trust those in power
• Power in hands of Eupatridai, the only ones who
  could be the chief magistrates archontes
  (archon)
• 594/3 BCE Solon as archon, Solon as mediator
  champion of poor but moderate in his solutions.
  Member of Eupatridai but not wealthy, and not
  interested in long-term rule

8
Solons solutions

• Seisachtheia shaking-off of burdens
  (cancellation of debt) and elimination of
  debt-slavery
• Law-giver, he gave to the Athenians
• Four classes based on wealth
• Pentakosiomedimnoi gt 500 bushelmen aristocrats
• Hippeis horsemen 500 gt x gt 300 cavalry
• Zeugitai yokemen 300 gt x gt 200 hoplites
• Thetes rowers 200 gt x oarsmen
• Sortition for holding the archonship. Archonship
  open to top two classes. Result?
• Boule (council) of 400, 100/tribe prepared
  business for the ekklesia (assembly)
• Areopagus (Hill of Ares) ex-archons, power to
  punish and protect the polis
• Legal redress for wrongs done against oneself
• Right of appeal to a dikasterion (jury-court)
• Returned exiles to the polis
• Solon ? Egypt, Athens ? anarchia (lack of
  archon) factionalism, dissent, tension

9
Solonian political changes

• Political power based on wealth not birth
• Political decisions no longer in hands of
  Areopagus only boule (council) of 400
  (100/tribe) and hence the demos (people)
• Post-Solonian Athens discontent, civil war, the
  rise of a tyrannos

10
For Wednesday

• Was the Peisistratid tyranny inevitable, or did
  the Athenians have any other choice?
• When the tyranny came to an end, what choices did
  the Athenians have?