March 13th

Today in class we continued the power point on Ancient Greece. These were the notes I wrote down:

Ancient Government
- in the seventh and sixth centuries BCE, aristocrats ruled the government
- rich people wielded much more influence in society
Aristocracy
- Aristocrats: members of the ruling class
- They attended symposiums: a place with many entertainment sources where men would make government decisions
Polotics
- no women (other than entertainment)
- no middle class
- no slaves
- sometimes aristocrats were even excluded from the inner circle
Tyrants
- sometimes aristocrats would get help from hoplites (well-armed soldiers) to set up their own government
- tyrant: someone who rules outside the framework of polis
- modern day tyrant: an abusive or oppressive ruler
Draco (621 BCE)
- all athenians are equal under the law
- death is the punishment for most crimes
- debt slavery is ok
Solon (594 BCE)
- outlaws debt slavery
- all athenian citizens can speak at the assembly
- any citizen can press charges against wrong doers
More Reforms
- allowed all citizens to submit laws for debate
- created Council of Five Hundred
- only free adult male property owners born in Athens were considered citizens
- women and slaves were foreigners