History Revision

Athens population (5th century BC)

About 250,000 total; ~30,000 male citizens; women/children citizens; metics; slaves

Meaning of democracy

Demos (people) + Kratos (power)

Cleisthenes' key citizenship reform

Citizenship based on demes instead of phratries

Number of tribes after Cleisthenes

10 tribes

Trittyes

One-third divisions from coast, city, inland forming tribes

Metics

Free non-Athenians with legal rights but no political rights; paid tax and needed sponsor

Thucydides

Athenian historian; wrote History of the Peloponnesian War; valued evidence

Plutarch

Biographer (c.100 AD); wrote Parallel Lives; compared Pericles with Fabius Maximus

Aristotle

Wrote Athenian Constitution (c.330 BC); aristocratic viewpoint; later source

Pericles' family background

Son of Xanthippus; mother Agariste from Alcmaeonid family

Pericles' early political advantage

Wealth inheritance and elite connections

Pericles' belief about persuasion

Preferred argument over bribery or flattery

Role of choregos

Wealthy sponsor of dramatic productions

Solon's reforms (594/3 BC)

Created 4 property classes; all citizens could attend Assembly and juries

Solon's limits

Poor citizens still excluded from archonship

Peisistratus' contributions as tyrant

Loans to farmers; travelling judges; festivals; building projects

Cleisthenes' Boule reform

Created Council of 500

Purpose of ostracism

Prevent individuals becoming too powerful

Ephialtes' reform (461 BC)

Reduced power of Areopagus to murder trials only

Pericles' major democratic reform

Introduced payment for jurors (2 obols)

Pericles' citizenship law (451 BC)

Both parents must be Athenian citizens

Age to become citizen (ephebe)

18 years old

Role of ephebes

Military training and civic preparation

Boule composition

500 men; 50 from each tribe chosen by lot

Prytany

Group of 50 councillors serving as executive for ~1/10 of year

Archons selection method (after reforms)

Mostly chosen by lot

Strategoi selection method

Elected annually

Number of strategoi

10 (one per tribe)

Pericles as strategos

Elected 15 consecutive years (443-429 BC)

Assembly meeting place

Pnyx

Assembly powers

Passed laws; foreign policy; taxes; elected strategoi

Ostracism voting requirement

Minimum 6,000 votes

Length of ostracism

10 years exile without loss of property

Law court jurors (dikasts)

6,000 selected annually by lot

Minimum age of jurors

30 years

Typical jury size

201-1501 members depending on case

Reason rhetoric was important

Citizens argued cases themselves in courts

Sophists

Teachers of rhetoric (criticised by Plato)

Hellenic League leader (Persian Wars)

Sparta (land army)

Athenian advantage in Persian Wars

Strong navy

Delian League formed

478/7 BC to defend against Persia

Delian League treasury location (original)

Delos

Delian League treasury moved

Athens (454/3 BC)

Purpose of Long Walls

Protect route between Athens and Piraeus

Thirty Years Peace

Treaty between Athens and Sparta (446 BC)

Reason Athens suppressed revolts (e.g. Naxos, Thasos, Samos)

Maintain empire control

Megarian Decree

Banned Megara from Athenian markets and ports

Key cause of Peloponnesian War (Thucydides)

Spartan fear of Athenian power

Other causes of Peloponnesian War

Corcyra alliance; Potidaea siege; Aegina complaints

Pericles' war strategy

Avoid land battle; rely on navy and Long Walls

Spartan war strategy

Invade Attica annually and destroy crops

Impact of plague (430 BC)

Possibly killed half Athens' population

Effect of plague on Pericles

Removed then re-elected as strategos

Pericles' death

429 BC from plague

Parthenon purpose

Temple to Athena Parthenos; treasury of empire

Parthenon architects

Ictinus and Callicrates

Parthenon sculptor/director

Pheidias

Theme of Parthenon metopes

Civilisation defeating barbarism

Propylaea

Monumental gateway to Acropolis

Temple of Athena Nike meaning

Victory will remain with Athens

Erechtheion significance

Sacred site of Athena vs Poseidon contest

Odeon of Pericles

Concert hall for musical competitions

Criticism of building programme

Used Delian League tribute for Athenian glory

Pericles' defence of building programme

Provided jobs and beautified Athens

Panathenaea festival

Celebrated Athena's birthday (July/August)

Great Panathenaea frequency

Every 4 years

Peplos

Sacred robe presented to Athena

City Dionysia

Festival honouring Dionysus with drama competitions

Choregos role in drama

Wealthy sponsor funded productions

Theoric fund

Paid theatre entry for poorer citizens

Typical age of Athenian women at marriage

About 14

Women's political rights

None

Women's legal/economic status

Could not own land independently

Main role of Athenian wives

Manage household and produce legitimate heirs

Arrephoroi

Young girls serving Athena's cult on Acropolis

Aspasia

Educated metic partner of Pericles; politically influential

Funeral Oration purpose

Honour war dead and praise Athens

Funeral Oration message about democracy

Equality before law and merit over class

Funeral Oration message about culture

Athens superior in arts, education, freedom

Thucydides reliability issue

Likely reconstructed speech rather than exact words

Pericles' reputation (Thucydides)

Honest leader who guided democracy responsibly

Pericles' reputation (Plutarch)

First citizen but sometimes criticised as too powerful