Ancient Greek Political Systems and Theories: Ancient Greek Political Systems and Theories Sarah Ridge


Political Theories: Political Theories Ideas spread city to city by debating philosophers Audiences were young men looking to be successful


Socrates: Socrates Founder of Western Political Theory Believed happiness did not come from things Ideas passed down though Plato


Plato: Plato Student of Socrates First real political philosopher of the western world Wrote The Republic


Aristotle: Aristotle Brilliant student of Plato’s Wrote many treatises, including Politics Believed in six types of government


Ancient Greece: Ancient Greece


Dark Ages of the Ancient Greece: Dark Ages of the Ancient Greece After the Minoan and Mycenaean Periods 1100 BCE - 800 BCE Declining population and culture Very poor and no trade Anarchy Art of writing lost Mycenaean Writing


Rebuilding of Greece after The Dark Ages: Rebuilding of Greece after The Dark Ages 800 BCE Oligarchy rule New buildings dedicated to the Gods not Kings


Expansion and Development: Expansion and Development Men built and expanded city-states The Phoenician alphabet was developed


City-States: City-States Population grew Trade increased City-states became political units that replaced war-oriented kingdoms


Sparta: Sparta City states made up of: City Surrounding farm lands Villages Largest city-state 3000 square miles


City-States: City-States Polis (city-state) “mini-countries” Open access to law and justice Own Coinage Own System of measurement


City-states: City-states All started out as Monarchies Overthrown by disgruntled citizens


Oligarchy: Oligarchy “Rule by a few” Followed Monarchy rule Had absolute power Some ruled over a council


Athens’ Oligarchs: Athens’ Oligarchs Nine archons divided duties Elected or appointed by lot No written laws Same class - same interests


Tyranny: Tyranny An Aristocrat trying to be in sole power Like a king without hereditary rights Needed support of the people Many tyrants loved by their people


Draco: Draco Athenian Legislature Given authority to codify laws First time laws in writing Severe and harsh “written in blood” “Draconian law” - term still used today


Solon: Solon Reformed Athenian Constitution Main desire Eliminate injustice Establish good order


Ancient Greek Courts: Ancient Greek Courts Court system run by ‘amateurs’ Trials lasted 1 day Two litigants Audience Jury Decided punishment


Slide20: Government varied region to region Most ruled either by Tyrants Oligarchy


Slide21: Small size of city states allowed for experimentation in their political structure In some areas, free male citizens made decisions


Peisistratus: Peisistratus Greek Tyrant who followed Solon Improved Athenian lives Public building programs First welfare program


Hippias and Hipparchus: Hippias and Hipparchus Piesistratus’ sons Took over rule at his death Not well-liked


Hipparchus: Hipparchus Took care of religious matters and the gods Assassinated in 514 BC


Hippias: Hippias Took care of political matters After he survived an assassination attempt, he was exiled in 510 BC


Cliesthenes: Cliesthenes Great statesman Founder of Democracy Best known for reforms to Athenian Constitution Introduced political equality


Cliesthenes - Political Equality: Cliesthenes - Political Equality Eliminated the 4 traditional tribes based on family Reorganized people into 10 tribes based on where they lived Each tribe elected 50 people - formed assembly of 500 Encouraged all citizens to get involved, but he gave his family more power


Cliesthenes - Ostracism: Cliesthenes - Ostracism Introduced ostracism (banishment from the city) From ostrako - a fragment of pottery A vote of 6000 citizens would exile a citizen for 10 years


Pericles: Pericles Brilliant speaker Strong leader Gave People paying jobs Paid assembly members so that commoners could afford to participate in politics


Pericles: Pericles Patron of the arts Masterminded construction of the Parthenon Rebuilt most of the major temples Set up collision course with Sparta


Pericles - Democracy: Pericles - Democracy Democracy developed on majority rule Individuals have a voice through their vote Democracy comes from demokratia demos = common people kratos - rule or strength


Ancient Greek Democracy - Who Had the Rights?: Ancient Greek Democracy - Who Had the Rights? Only citizens could vote Free men, both parents of Athenian descent No women, slaves, children or, metics (people, even Greeks, from other city-states) NO


Spread of Democracy: Spread of Democracy Slowly other city-states began to introduce democracy Democracy was also tried in non-Greek states as well


Greek Legacies: Greek Legacies Center for the: Arts Learning Philosophy Cradle of Western Civilization Birthplace of Democracy


Political Greek Legacies: Political Greek Legacies


Trial By Jury: Trial By Jury When a group of citizens decides if a person is innocent or guilty of a crime Serving on a jury was a citizen’s duty


Legacies of Greek Philosophy: Legacies of Greek Philosophy Socrates and the Socratic Method Plato Aristotle And many others


The End: The End