2.1- GREEK DEPTH- Athenian political and social culture- Democratic system and law courts

Provenance of the Old Oligarch

who; probably upper class, educated young man

what; political pamphlet

where; Athens- 420s during Archdemon war

why; probably young man gathering his thoughts

Overall argument of the Old Oligarch

Points out the flaws with Athenian democracy but also acknowledges it is needed for the war effort

OO 1.1- 1.13

Democracy is bad because the interests of the bad men (poor) are put above that of the good men (elite)

Acknowledges Athens wouldn’t have an empire without the masses rowing for them- however the masses benefit more than the rich because the rich have to fund their festivals and activities which were originally only afforded to the elite.

Each class has its place and is somewhat restricted however the poor benefit the most from this system.

OO 2.9- 2.20

rich have to pay for the masses entertainment “ the mob enjoy these more than do the few and the fortunate”

Motivation within a democracy is self interest but they need collective responsibility.

The masses blame individuals and not themselves for decisions they voted on- however he forgives them for human nature

There are men who take the side of the people to gain power- links to Thucydides demagogues.

what were Solons reforms 594 bc

reformed political system in hopes of preventing revolution

• divided Athens into 4 classes based on wealth

• gave everyone the right to sit in assembly and serve as jurors

  There were some democratic elements but ultimately controlled by council (oligarchy)

who was Peisistratus

seized control as a tyrant- generally well liked.

Seceded by Hippias who was so unpopular he was driven out 510

who was Cleisthenes

radical reforms

• divided Athens into 10 tribes- each selecting 50 men for boule

democracy was further strengthened during the Persian wars as Athens needed rowers (OO)

he led Conservatism

Led by Aristeides (DL guy)- thinks the poor have enough power and democracy has gone far enough

who led Reformism

Led by Themistocles and then Ephialtes- want more reforms

background on Aristotle

Studied under Plato

founded a school called the Lyceum

Became tutor for Alexander the Great

Aristotles constitutional theory

correct form deviant form

rule by one- monarchy tyrany

rule by few- aristocracy oligarchy

rule of the many- polity democracy

provinence of Aristotle’s Athenian Constitution

who: nameless student of Aristotle

what: account of the athenian democratic system

when: 320s bc

why: track the development of democracy from 6-5th century

why is the authenticity of Aristotles Athenian Constitution questioned

Puts Aristides and Themistocles on the same side- mistake makes us believ it was one of Aristotles students using his name for publicity

what do the OO and AAC believe is to blame for democracy not working

OO- blames it on the people- human nature

AAC- blames it on the leaders

AAC chapter 23-24

after the persian wars, democracy halted- power back to the areopagus

city was well governed at the time

Athens grew in military dominence

Athens bacame more domineering- corroborates with Thucydides “Severe and exacting”

AAC chapters 26-28

after the rise of Cimon, Areopagus was deprived of responsibility and the constitution slackened

Pericles further weakened democracy with his reforms - author thinks this led to judicial corruption

what was the Boule

• 5 tribes provided 50 councillors who met every day in the agora

• prepared the agenda for the council meetings

what were the Magistrates

700 archons with each board being responsible for a different area of civic life

What was the Ecclesia

Any Athenian citizen could attend- meet on Pnyx hill

voted weather to discuss chosen agenda

voted on agenda

Aristophanes’ Wasps plot and key quotes

father Philocleon (Cleon lover) was obsessed with jury service so his son Bdelycleon (Cleonhater) locked him in the house and staged mock trials

“dont prejudge him guilty, wait until youve heard both sides”

“the puppies crowd around Bdelycleon and wordlessly desplay their grief and fear”

“ hes been tricked, he let him off without meaning to”

What is Aristophanes critiquing in Wasps

people emotionally manipulate the courts to win trials

the rich bribe the courts to hold ridiculous trials to take down political enemes

what do we learn from Aristophanes’ wasps

• large amount of Cleon lovers and haters in Athens

• Athenian court system was corrupt

• Disliked the use of rhetoric in court to evoke sympathy

What was the use of Ostracism and why did it stop being used

first used as a safeguard against tyranny

stoped working after 417 rivals Nicias and Alciabides couldnt risk being voted out so they pooled their followers together to vote for Hyperbolus

what was the Old Oligarchs judgement on the Boule

Slow and corrupt

• Takes a long time due to the amount of buisness and festivals

• They have too much to consider and do

Whta does Xonophons Memorabelia say about the ecclesia

Critical of the type of people in the ecclesia- sees them as ignorant masses with a lack of morals

What is the purpose of Platos apology and who does it corroborate with

defending Socrates after he was put to death for corrupting the youth and viewed as a sophist

corroborates with Aristophanes wasps on the use of rhetoric and corruption in the law courts

What is the story between Pericles and Thucydides the Conservative in Plutarch’s life of pericles

• Pericles was opposed by aristocratic Conservatives- led by TTC

• TTC accused Pericles of squandering public funds- Pericles says he will use his own money on the building project and gets TTC ostracised

• “Political opposition was at an end”

• Pericles power is absolute after this and he becomes more of a conservative democrat

Pericles Funeral Oration- superiority section

• Athens democracy is an example for others to look up to

• “I declare that out city is an education for Greece”

• When the work is done they can enjoy all kinds of recreation- Periclean golden age - democracy allows culture to go through a golden age

• Says Athenians have collective responsibility (OO contradicts)

Pericles funeral oration- fallen soldiers section

• comforts the parents that they ended their lives with honour

• men on their own are imperfect, but when they are fighting for a cause, it lessens their imperfections.

Pericles funeral oration- women section

• very small section to women at the end of the speech

• The best kind of women remain out of the public eye and should remain in private properties

• talks on their burial rights

What are pericles 3 most important speeches and who records them

444- not a ship, not a horse, not a hoplite- Putarch

Winter 431- funeral oration- Thucydides

430 speech- your empire is now a tyranny- Thucydides

What does Thucydides say in 2.65

• rise in demagogues after Pericles

• “lead them instead of being led by them”

• Pericles defensive strategy

Plot of Aristophanes’ Knights and key quote

• Demosthenes and |Nicias convince a sausage seller to become a politician because of his low birth and lack of education

• play is a critique of new politicians and sophistry

• present politicians as slaves to the people and Cleon as a demagogues

• “A leader of the people no longer needs to have any training or be honest in his dealings. Instead, he should be ignorant and disgusting.”

What was Pericles citizenship law

451- Pericles made it that you needed an Athenian mother and father in order to be a citizen- this created a new category of citizen women

What did Aristotle say about Pericles’ citizen law

Pericles wanted to limit the number of people that could enjoy enjoy social privelages like festivals and the corn dole

law also had repercussions for women as it created citizen women and gave them social privilages. all obliged to follow adultery clause (husbands could kill them if they cheated to protect legitimacy)

what was the citizenship festival

Apaturia- where parents registered their child as a citizen and gave an oath before the Gods

rights of Metics

• had to register to pay the metics tax

• expected to serve in metics hoplites during war

• some metics were able to rise to power and have an influence on molitics (however they still couldnt vote)

• Xenophon thought they should have more rights

• OO emphasised their contribution to the fleet

how did Aristotle view slaves

believed that slavery was natural and justified for certain individuals, those he termed "natural slaves," who he believed lacked the capacity for rational thought and deliberation

what could slaves do if they were being mistreated

seek sanctuary in a place of worship

temple of posiedon

temple of artemis

what were the different types of slaves

chattel- owned by a master- domestic, agricultural slaves

public- owned by the state- agricultural, temple slaves

women

• regarded as minors with no political rights and limited legal rights. Their purpose was to produce enough children to survive to adultood, therefore they married early and produced children.

What does Xenophon’s Economicus tell us about women

Women’s duty is to stay inside and look after the household.Expected to be making clothes from wool and not be seen sitting around too much

plot of Thesmoriazusae

Women are upset about how they are being portrayed by the playwight Euripides. At the festival for Demeter, Euripides sends his father to spy on them- he is arrested.

The play reversed sexual stereotypes that women are irrational

Euripides easily negotiating peace at the end could have been an anti- war message.

What does the play Thesmophoriazusae tell us about women

• men control women because they are scared that women could do a better job

• useful to show how little power women held

• however they had a social and cultural importance

How does the Old Oligarch criticize Athens’ treatment of her allies

• charge too much tribute

• force them to come to Athens for trial

• “they put their own self interest before justice”

• “allies are made slaves to the common people of Athens”

• Athens seeks to undermine oligarchies by reducing them to subjugated states

• Athens impoverishes states so they cant rebel

• Allies kept in a position of subservience- corroborated by Thucydides (melian dialogue the strong must rule the week)

• Thucydides- “divisions were made worse by what Athens did to her allies”