Developing Athens: Tyranny to Revolution Flashcards

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to the development of Athens from tyranny to revolution, including important figures, reforms, and social structures.

Basileus

The primary autocratic ruler in Athens by 900 BCE, also handled religious matters and property lawsuits as an archon.

Theseus

Legendary founder of the democratic polis of Athens, credited with the unification of Attica.

Nine Archons

Executive body in early Athens consisting of the Basileus, Polymarch ('War Chief'), the Eponymous Archon, and six judges/legislators, elected annually from those 'Of a Good Father'.

Oikos

Greek term for 'household,' a basic social unit where each family belonged to one of 4 phylai and a phratry.

Phylai

Greek term for 'Tribes,' which were military units that supported the central government in early Athenian society.

Phratry

Greek term for 'Brotherhood,' a social unit often representing a brotherhood of warriors.

Conspiracy of Cylon

An attempted tyranny in 632 BCE by Olympic victor Cylon, who seized the Acropolis but was besieged by Athenian citizens and ultimately failed, with his co-conspirators executed.

Draco

A figure (possibly a real person or a cypher for priest publishers) credited with the codification of Athenian law around 620 BCE, which made murder a state crime and often prescribed the death penalty for violations.

Solon

An respected Athenian poet and statesman who, in the 590s BCE, wrote new laws to relieve poor farmers, end debt slavery, introduce a 'sliding scale of privilege,' and is credited with defining 'citizenship'.

Debt slavery

A practice in ancient Athens where heavily indebted farmers secured their debt with their person or personal property, leading to enslavement, which was ended by Solon's reforms.

Men of the Plain (pedieis)

One of the three divided social categories in Athens, representing large landowners.

Men of the Hill/highlands (hyperakrioi)

One of the three divided social categories in Athens, representing the very poor hill folk.

Men of the Coast (paralioi)

One of the three divided social categories in Athens, representing fishermen and craftsmen.

Peisistratos

A distant relative of Solon who carried out a coup in 560 BCE with the help of the hyperakrioi, becoming a tyrant in Athens and reigning from 546-527 BCE, focusing on economic growth and promoting cultural importance.

Red-figure pottery

A popular style of pottery whose production and export significantly increased during Peisistratos' rule.

'Owl' silver coins

The silver currency minted in Athens featuring the owl of Athena, which became a strong currency under Peisistratos.

Hippias and Hipparchos

The sons of Peisistratos who continued his tyranny; Hipparchos was assassinated in 514 BCE, and Hippias was eventually ousted in 510 BCE.

Harmodios and Aristogiton

Lovers who, in 514 BCE, plotted and assassinated Hipparchos after he publicly defamed Harmodios' sister.

Alcmaeonid family

An Athenian aristocratic family who, by bribing the priests of Delphi, orchestrated the Spartan intervention that led to the expulsion of the tyrant Hippias from Athens in 510 BCE.

Cleisthenes

An Athenian statesman who, in 508 BCE, introduced major democratic reforms, creating a new tribal system based on geographical area and establishing the Council of 500.

New Tribal System (Cleisthenes)

A reform by Cleisthenes that reorganized Attica from 4 to 10 tribes, each composed of trittyes from the city, coast, and plain, with citizens using their deme name as identity.

Council of 500

A governing body established by Cleisthenes' reforms, where each of the 10 new tribes supplied 50 councilmen chosen by lot annually, ensuring proportional representation and democratic participation.

Selection by Lot

A democratic method of choosing public officials, introduced by Cleisthenes, where individuals were randomly selected for roles like councilmen, implying that all citizens were qualified to serve.