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Athenian democracy had many critics, both ancient and modern. Ancient Greek critics of Athenian democracy include Thucydides the general and historian, Aristophanes the playwright, Plato the pupil of Socrates, Aristotle the pupil of Plato, and a writer known as the Old Oligarch. While modern critics are more likely to find fault with the ...
The early Athenian tradition, followed by the 3rd century BC Parian Chronicle, made Cecrops, a mythical half-man half-serpent, the first king of Athens. [5] The dates for the following kings were conjectured centuries later, by historians of the Hellenistic era who tried to backdate events by cross-referencing earlier sources such as the Parian Chronicle.
These activities were often handled by a form of direct democracy, based on a popular assembly. Others, of judicial and official nature, were often handled by large juries, drawn from the citizen body in a process known as sortition. By far the most well-documented and studied example is the Athenian democracy in Athens.
The "Constitution of the Athenians" (Ancient Greek: Ἀθηναίων πολιτεία, Athenaion Politeia), also known as "On the Athenian State", is a short treatise on the government and society of classical Athens. Its date and authorship have been the subject of much dispute.
By the time of the Peloponnesian War, the democracy in Athens was approximately 100 years old. [2] Most of the upper class accepted this form of government, while either vying for positions of leadership within it or, remaining aloof outside of it. [3] Until the war, most of the leading Athenian politicians had come from noble families. [3]
A contemporary of Plato, Xenophon associated with Socrates, as was common for wealthy young men in this period, and probably served in the Athenian cavalry. [13] [12] He appears to have remained in Athens during the overthrow of Athenian democracy under the Thirty Tyrants, and fought democratic insurgents in the civil war of 403–404. [13]
The Thirty Tyrants' brief reign was characterized by violence and corruption. Historian Sian Lewis argues that the violence and brutality the Thirty carried out in Athens was necessary to transition Athens from a democracy to an oligarchy. [19] However, the more violent the Thirty's regime became, the more opposition they faced. [19]
The law courts of ancient Athens (4th and 6th centuries BC) were a fundamental organ of democratic governance. According to Aristotle , whoever controls the courts controls the state. These courts were jury courts and very large ones: the smallest possible had 200 members (+1 to avoid ties) and sometimes 501, 1000 or 1500.