essay plans [8, 12]

‘A modern-day human would consider Athens completely unfamiliar.‘ To what extent do you agree? [12]

question depends heavily on characteristics of that human: race, sex, class, the government of the country the come from.

For the sake of the argument, I will assume a middle-class white person from London, highlighting the differences for men and women.

YES - completely unfamiliar

• slavery

  • Cephisadorus (metic) owned at least 8 slaves, including 3 Thracian women, and a Syrian male - Greek Historical Inscriptions

  • Cephalos (metic) owned a shield factory which employed 120 slaves

  • Achilles and Agamemnon fight over Briseis in the Iliad - Homer

  • ‘slaves should not breed without out knowledge‘ - Xenophon, Oikonomikos

  • ‘as a slave woman… ragged patchwork of rags to clothe my ragged skin‘ - Euripides, Trojan Women (ragged repetition = τρυχηρός)

• treatment of women

  • no vote

  • ‘the male rules over the female‘ - Aristotle, Politics

  • marriage - ‘the wife should be four years past puberty’ and the husband ‘not much short of thirty years‘ - Hesiod, Works and Days

  • expected to stay inside - ‘will have to stay inside‘ - Xenophon, Oikonomikos

• metics

  • ‘pay a Metic Tax‘ - Xenophon, Resources

• democratic and legal system

• religion

  • and

• citizenship laws

  • ‘Men belong to the citizen body if both their parents are citizens and they are enrolled as members of their deme at the age of eighteen‘ - Aristotle, Constitution of Athens

NO - some similarities

• two cantons in Switzerland today still participate in direct democracy, with an assembly where anyone can speak, and votes are counted by hands up

• military service

  • new citizen must serve as military cadet for two years - ephebe (some countries have mandatory military service)

• public festivals/sporting events/drama

  • ‘should apply the surplus to public works.. to bring her glory for all time’

  • theatre

  • public festivals where no work happens (e.g. no assembly)

conclusion:

• recognisable human tenets of civilisation

• but appalled by drastically different values and morals

‘A modern man would find ancient Athenian society unfair.’

Using sources you have studied, explain how far you agree with this opinion. [12]

‘The Athenian house was like a prison for Greek women.’ [12]

Athens valued metics highly. To what extent do you agree?

‘The evidence we have about women in ancient Athens does not provide an accurate picture of their lives and experiences.’ Using the sources you have studied, discuss to what extent you agree with this statement. [12]

Pericles states that ‘everyone is equal before the law’. To what extent were the metics and slaves living in Athens treated equally to citizens? [8]

‘The Athenian Acropolis was nothing more than just an attractive religious sanctuary.’ How far do you agree with this statement? [8]

‘The legal and political processes of democracy were well-organised in ancient Athens.’

How far do you agree with this statement? [8]

‘The ancient Greeks had a strong sense of justice and fairness.’ To what extent do you agree? [12]

"Athenian democracy was democratic in name only." How far do you agree with this statement? [8]

"Life for women in Sparta was better than life for women in Athens." To what extent do you agree? [12]

“Religious festivals were the only opportunity for Athenian women to participate in public life." Using the sources you have studied, discuss how far you agree with this view. [12]

"The treatment of metics in Athens reveals the limitations of Athenian democracy." To what extent do you agree? [12]

"Women in ancient Athens had more power and influence than the written sources suggest." To what extent do you agree? [12]

"Solon's reforms had little lasting impact on Athenian society." How far do you agree with this statement? [8]