City States and Politics in Greece

Types of Government in 5th Century World

• Democracy: Existed in a number of forms in different city states, most prominent of which was Athens. Idea that government was in the hands of the masses but they election people to positions of influence and power over them, often these individuals were from the aristocracy families that had previously formed the oligarchy. In Athens the yearly ostracisms were a check on individual power and the term of service for each position in government ensured that no individual became above the state without retribution.

• Oligarchy: The elite rule the masses, different from tyranny because of the number of people involved. Existed at times in Athens and could be seen in majority of city states – similar system to that enjoyed by Spartans over the Helots. These would be the wealthy and aristocracy families, creating divisions and political instability and different families vied for popular support.

• Tyranny: Existed on occasion in various city states, objected to by contemporary writers praising the virtues of democracy such as Herodotus. Briefly existed in Athens under Peisistratus.

• Kingship: Existed chiefly in Sparta, although there were two kings here. Seen by many as a decadent, even old fashioned system of government – often ‘foreign’ to Greek ideas of equality and therefore looked down on. Two kings of Sparta was for checks and balances and ensure military society – one to lead and one to remain and rule. Makes it easy to date actions because kings names are recorded. Not necessarily a hereditary title within Spartan Society, often given to those deemed worthy by the council of Elders.

• Satrapy: Those puppet rulers put in place by Eastern Empires, largely confined to the cities in Asia Minor.

• Empire: Persian Empire represented a system of government abhorrent to the Greek world, that of inequality and slavery as well as tyranny – they believed they operated in an equal society and where unable to see the inequalities of their own governmental systems – therefore creating a cultural barrier between the east and west as the Empire reached the Polis of Ionia.

The Greek Polis

Democracy under Cleisthenes

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Constitution-of-the-Athenians-in-the-4th-century-BC.png

Spartan Government

EUNOMIA: "Good Order" The Spartan name for their way of life (constitution)AGOGE "Training" The Spartan name for their system of physical, social, intellectual and moral education of the citizen.LACEDAEMONIANS: The inhabitants of the territory belonging to the Spartan state, the valley of the Eurotas River in s. central Peloponnese and other conquered territory (Messenia). `Lacedaemonian' sometimes means any inhabitant, but sometimes is also used loosely to mean `real' Spartan full citizens, Spartiates: A Spartiate IS a Lacedaemonian, but not every Lacedaemonian is a Spartiate.SPARTANS: Technically, an inhabitant of the POLIS called "Sparta", which was really an amalgamation (SYNOECISM) of five villages or townships. Male citizens would have gone through the AGOGE and served in the Spartan military. Not every Spartan was a Spartiate. The total number of Spartiates was never more than 9,000 in a population of 225,000+ Lacedaemonians and subjects. By the 4th cent. B.C. the number was down to around 750. The Great Earthquake (ca. 465) and the Great Peloponnesian War (432-404) had a great deal to do with this.PERIOIKOI: `Those dwelling round about': natives of Lacedaemonia who did not have full citizen rights; farmers and merchants mostly perioikoi.HELOTS: conquered subjects used as serfs, both in the Eurotas valley and in Messenia to the west; legally they were enemies of the State and subject to arbitrary brutal treatment. They were the property of the Spartan State.KINGS: Two royal families (Agiads, Eurypontids), [Archagetai] Kings served for life, and the office was hereditary; but kings had to be trained in the Agoge too. Leaders of the army (after a famous dispute in 508 B.C. two kings were not allowed to go out with the same military force), Presiding officers in the GEROUSIA, the Spartan Senate, kings also had veto power over the doings of the Spartan Assembly (Apella) and Priests of special cults of certain gods (Zeus Hellenios and Athena Hellenia)GEROUSIA: The "Old Men": 28 Spartiates over the age of 60 (that is, beyond the age for military service) + the two kings (= 30). The Gerontes (Senators) were elected by the Assembly of Spartiates for life. In fact they controlled much of the public business and decided on what the Assembly could discuss, they could also veto actions taken by the Assembly. EPHORS: Spartiate "Overseers", chosen annually by the Assembly. The only source on this point says that they were "selected" (haireisthai). Any Spartiate could be EPHOR. They had financial, judicial, and administrative powers--even over the Kings and Gerontes. Two Ephors always went with a king on campaign to control arrogance and to protect the interests of the whole State. They are entrusted with young spartans known as KRYPTEIA.ECCLESIA: The Spartiate Assembly, men above 18; could only vote YES or NO, (by making noise); were subject to veto. Could only meet on summons, and only discuss what was submitted to them.

Criticisms:

• The Lacedaemonian [Spartan] constitution is defective in another point; I mean the Ephoralty. This magistracy has authority in the highest matters, but the Ephors are chosen from the whole people, and so the office is apt to fall into the hands of very poor men, who, being badly off, are open to bribes.- From Aristotle, The Politics: On the Lacedaemonian Constitution

Try and answer the following questions:

1. What advantages were there to being a citizen in Athens?

2. What was the role of the Ephors?