Classics the archaic age ancient sources

'Every polis is as we see a sort of partnership, and every partnership is formed with a view to some good.

Aristotle (The polis) politics 4th century BC

'often somebody who would be a citizen in a democracy is not a citizen under an oligarchy.''

-Aristotle (The polis) politics 4th century BC

'It is impossible for a mere mortal to have all those blessings at the same time'

-Herodotus (solon and Croesus )

'The Athenian constitution was in all effects oligarchic'

Proto Aristotle(Athenian Politeia)

'The poor themselves were in slavery to the rich, Called peletai'

Proto Aristotle(Athenian Politeia)

'The people rose against the nobles'

Proto Aristotle( Athenian Politeia)

'(solon) Prohibited loans ... and enacted cancellations of debt'

Proto Aristotle( Athenian Politeia)

'And the council was to be formed of four hundred and one members chosen by a lot from the citizen body '

Proto Aristotle( Athenian Politeia)

(Kleisthenes)'divided the whole body into ten tributes [phylai] instead of the existing four...He made the council [boule] to consist of five hundred members instead of four hundred ... He also portioned out the land among demes into thirty parts...trittyes ... assigned them among the tribes by lot three in each in order that each tribe might have a share in all the districts'

Proto Aristotle( Athenian Politeia)

'He banished the unnecessary and superfluous arts ... not possible to buy foreign wares or trinkets ...no keepers of prostitutes no gold or silver smith'

Plutarch (Lykourgos)

'there was no money there'

Plutarch (Lykourgos)

'gave the duty of controlling the class to a member of the class where the highest offices are filled 'warden' [paidonomos]... He also assigned to him a staff of youths provided with whips to chastise them when necessary'

Xenophon (spartan constitution)

'He introduced the custom of wearing one garment throughout the year'

Xenophon (spartan constitution)

'He required the prefect to bring with him such a moderate amount of food that the boys wound never suffer from repletion, and would know what it was to go with their hunger unsatisfied'

Xenophon (spartan constitution)

'men of large possessions had no advantage over the poor'

Plutarch (Lykourgos)

'At first, Periander was less cruel than his father, but after he had corresponded with Thrasybulus ... He became far more bloodthirsty'

Herodotus (Tyranoi)

'That's what tyranny is like these are the kinds of deeds it performs'

Herodotus (Tyranoi)

'I am going to talk at some length about Egypt '

Herodotus (Digression example)

'all pulled together simultaneously striking the deep salty seas with their ores '

Aeschylus (Salamis description from Persians)

'never in a single day did such a large number of men die '

Aeschylus (Persian loss description from Persians)

'Xerxes wailed aloud when he saw the depth of the disaster, for he had a seat with a clear view of the whole militia'

Aeschylus (Salamis description from Persians)