Ancient History Short Answer revision

Geography, natural setting and resources

Mountainous, dry Mediterranean climate, surrounded by water.
Vegetables grown - onions, cabbages, lentils, olives grapes.
Livestock raised - Pigs, sheep, goats
Fish harvested.
High quality clay and marble + Silver and Lead from Laurium.

Concept of the polis

City-state was an independent body

Structure of Athenian society - class divisions

Pentakosiomedimnoi - Highest political/military positions, 500 bushels of grain/wine
Hippeis - often had a horse, 300 bushels of grain/wine
Zeugitae - Made up bulk of hoplites, 200 bushels of grain/wine
Thetes - light armed troops/rowers, <200 bushels of grain/wine

Duties/privileges of citizens

Free from direct taxation
Had a right to own land
Protected by law and could bring prosecutions and serve on juries
Had full political, legal, civic and economic rights

Role of military: strategoi

Strategoi - ten generals elected annually by assembly, one from each deme. Could be re-elected. Paid on active military service. Many assigned to certain tasks (managing heavy infantry, foreign expeditions, captaining triremes, managing the Piraeus etc.)

Role of military: Hippeis

Hippeis - made up cavalry. Important border controls. Selected based on ability to provide and maintain a horse. There was an allowance for animal maintenance/special training. Knights took part in public processions.

Role of military: Hoplites

Heavy armed foot soldiers. Powerful warrior class.

Role of military: Thetes

Poorest citizens, provided light armed troops, archers and rowers in the triremes. Least important socially, excluded from official positions and hoplites.

Role and status of women

Status of women determined by class

Priestesses held in most respect, Hetairai had greatest freedom.

No political rights, few legal rights - Could only act through men in legal disputes.

Expected to be silent and keep a low profile.

Social contacts limited - married young to much older men. Ate in their own quarters with children and slaves. Could not leave house without a male chaperone.

Role of metics and slaves: Metics

Foreigners working and living permanently in Athens.
Could not own property
Had no political rights, few legal ones.
Paid a special tax (metoikion) - 12 drachmas per year for adult males, 6 for females.
Performed military service in either navy or army.
Central to productivity of Athens, largely consisted of the Athenian workplace.

Role of metics and slaves: Slaves

Had essential domestic roles
Had no rights.
Worked highly laborious jobs (roadwork, in mines, dockyards)
Could be publicly or privately owned
Majority of population (70 000 in 431 BC)

Structure + features of Athenian democracy: ekklesia

Assembly of Athenian citizens
Included all citizens over 18
Met forty times a year, four times in each prytany (Aristotle)
Met on the Pnyx at dawn ever 8-9 days.
Agenda fixed by law - discussed issues of food supply, petitions, and all other business.
Could declare war, managed military strategy, elected officials including strategoi and magistrates.
Passed laws and decrees, reviewed by magistrates.
Individuals could bring up laws, and debate them.

Structure + features of Athenian democracy: Boule

Council of 500 - met daily, concerned with the running of the city
Members - chosen by lot, had to be over 30
Tribal groups of 50 acted as the executive for one tenth of a year. One third were constantly on duty, residing in the Tholos, next to the Bouleterion.
Councillors took an oath - paid 1 drachma a day.
Place matters on agenda for the assembly - oversaw the carrying out of decrees, management of public property, collection and expenditure of funding for public works, supervision of army and navy including election of generals.

Structure + features of Athenian democracy: Strategia

Structure + features of Athenian democracy: Heliaea

The economy: importance of Agora

Centre of political, social and commercial life in Athens
Open square with markets, shops, law courts and other public buildings.
Shops, stalls and tables selling goods located in the Agora.
Human merchandise sold in the form of cooks, workers, slaves and prostitutes.

The economy: importance of Piraeus