Here are my notes on Greece from today:
- Draco (621 BCE): Draconian- Un-necessarily harsh
- All Athenians rich or poor are equal under the law
- Death is the punishment for many crimes
- Debt slavery is OK (work as slave to repay debts)
- Solon's reforms (594 BCE)
- Outlaws debt slavery
- All Athenian citizens can speak at the assembly
- Any citizens can press charges against wrongdoers
- More reforms before 500 BCE
- Allowed all citizens to submit laws for debate at the assembly
- Created the Council of Five Hundred
- Members chosen at random, to counsel the assembly
- Leading to democracy
- Only free adult male property owners born in Athens were considered citizens
- No women, slaves, or "Foreigners"
- Hippias was a tyrant who ruled from 527 to 510 BCE
- His brother was murdered and caused his rule to become harsh
- Eventually he was expelled from Athens (ostracized)
- In revenge he began working with the Person king Darius I, helping them invade marathon
- With Hippias gone, Isagoras and Cleisthenes (both were aristocrats)
- engage in a power struggle
- Isagoras had support from upperclass and Sparta
- Cleisthenes has middle class (majority)
- Isagoras wins, becomes archon eponymous
- Ostracizes Cleisthenes
- Supporters (ordinary citizens) revolt against Isagorus' tyranny
- Trap Isagoras on the acropolis for 2 days- on the 3rd day he fled and was banished
- 508 BCE
- Cleisthenes= member of the elite
- very rich
- insulated from the "hoi polloi"
- crafty politician
- tapped into talents of middle class citizens
- no women yet
- Huge step in getting regular people involved in the government
- first democracy had limits
- After several years, Athens practiced direct democracy
- The state is ruled by its citizens
- Rule based on citizenship
- majority rule decides vote
- in agora, citizens argues, made speeches then voted with white stones (yes) or black stones (no)
- First practiced in Athens under Cleisthenes by around 500 BCE
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