5. Archaic Statsis and the Tyrannies of Athens Flashcards

1
Q

When was the time of the Tyrannies?

A

670-500 BCE

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2
Q

What does Tyrant mean?

A

rule of one man (autocrat)

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3
Q

What is the problem with the sources for this time?

A

Biases (pro-aristocracy)

Writing much later

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4
Q

What were some of the problems from Archaic Athens?

A

Elite rivalries
Growing struggles for power
Fighting among clans (gene)

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5
Q

What does Stasis mean?

A

“taking a stand”

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6
Q

Who is Cylon? When was his born and what are some of his notable events from this time?

A
Previous Olympic victor
Father-in-law = Theagenes, tyrant of Megara
c. 632 BCE – seizes Acropolis
         Does not get popular support
         Chief archon Megacles
         He and Alcmaeonid clan exiled
         Curse of the Alcmaeonids
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7
Q

Who was Draco?When was the Law Code of Draco est. ? What were the consequences?

A

Draco was elected chief archon and was the first recorded legislator of Athens. He wrote down the law codes that were available to the public which removed some power of aristocracy. Moving law from private (family matters) to public. it also Emphasis on property ownership “debt slavery”

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8
Q

What does Isonomia mean?

A

‘equality before the law

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9
Q

What was the crisis that was happening with Athens?

A
Foreign meddling (Megara, etc.)
Land hunger
Aristocratic rivalry and corruption
 Widespread extreme poverty
                hektemeroi (“sixth-parters”)
                debt slavery
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10
Q

Who is Solon?What was the end results of what he accomplished?

A
638-558 BCE
Aristocrat, regained fortune, merchant
Relatable to all groups
Chief/eponymous archon
 Alleviate troubles of poor majority- But not destroy the rich minority
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11
Q

What were Solon’s economic reforms? What did this not accomplish?

A

Debt cancellation, return of property
Debt slavery outlawed

Land not redistributed
Debt and money lending not outlawed

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12
Q

What were Solon’s social reforms?

A
Citizens were  divided based on land production
1. Pentakosiomedimnoi
“500 bushel men”
Highest offices
 Limited group
  1. Hippeis
    “Horsemen”
    Cavalry
    High offices (archons)
  2. Zeugetai
    Small landownders
    Hoplite soldiers
4. Thetes
200 bushels or less
No high positions in gov’t; can attend Ekklesia
Light-armed troops, sailors
Women, metics, slaves
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13
Q

What does Seisachtheia mean?

A

Seisachtheia (“Loosening of burdens”)

seiein ’to shake’ + achthos ’burden’

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14
Q

What were Solon’s judicial reforms accomplish?

A
Heliaia- supreme court of athens
       Jury court
       Minor crimes appeals
       Appeals on decisions of Areopagus---Homicide casese
             Check on corruption
 Reduced severity of punishments
Opened up who could bring cases to court
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15
Q

What were Solon’s political reforms?

A
Boulē
    Council of 400
    100 male citizens from each phylē
    Propose/refer legislation to Ekklesia
Ekklesia
     The Assembly
     All male citizens
     Approve laws proposed by Boulē
     Rules of participation
Thetes – Assembly
Zeugetai – low level offices (e.g., Boulē)
Hippeis – up to archon
Pentakosiomedimnoi – chief magistracies
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16
Q

What was Solon’s Impact and the problem with oligarchy(small group with power)?

A

Abolished the hectemor (hektemeroi) system and debt slavery
Aided in creation of free peasantry
Distinction between freedom and slavery

Solon withdraws

Old rifts reappear and new troubles in government

New factions and loyalties
Men of the Plains – mainly conservative landowners
Men of the Coast – mainly merchant class
Men of the Hills – mainly the poorest citizens

17
Q

What were Peisistratus three attempts at takeover?What was the name of his faction?

A

Attempt #1: c. 560 BCE
Request for a bodyguard → use bodyguard to seize Acropolis

Attempt #2: c. 556 BCE
Returns to Athens with “Athena”
Alliance with Megacles (Men of the Coast)
Alliance fails

Attempt #3: c. 546 BCE
Marches troops into Athens
Tyranny 546-527 BCE

Men of the hills

18
Q

What did Peisistratus make improvements to ?

A
Economic reforms
Building programs
Foreign affairs
Religious propaganda
Export and trade
19
Q

Who were Hippas and Hipparchus?

A
Sons of Peisistratus
Came to power by birth
Issues of inheritance
Informal power
Monarchical style
20
Q

Who was Herodotus?When did he write? WHat time did he write about? What biases might he had?

A
Herodotus (c. 484-420s BCE)
Herodotus, Histories
    Writing mid-5th century
Writing about 546-510 BCE
Biases
    An aristocrat
    Experiences with tyrants
Attitude in Herodotus’ account
21
Q

Who was Aristotle?When did he write?What time did he write about? what kind of ideas did he have?

A

Aristotle (c. 384-322 BCE)
Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians
Writing mid-4th century
Writing about 546-510 BCE
Applying ideas of democracy to Archaic Athens
More balanced discussion on tyranny?

22
Q

Why were some of the “Tyrants” considered benevolent dictators ?

A
Positive actions of tyrants
   Arts, trade, infrastructure, etc.
Informal power
    Popularity, military
Absolute and arbitrary rule
Time of flux
Trying to maintain Dark Age values in a more complex society
23
Q

What were some notable post tyranny events?

A

Spartan King Cleomenes helped get rid of Hippias
Installs pro-Spartan oligarchy
508 BCE - Isagoras elected chief archon
Rival Cleisthenes (Alcmaeonid clan) exiled
Isagoras loses popularity
Cleisthenes returns
Isagoras and Spartans are removed

24
Q

What were the reforms of Cleisthenes?

A

508/7 BCE
Abolished the traditional phylai
Three regional divisions: City, Coast, Hills/Inland
10 trittyes (“thirds”) in each = 30 total
Groups of demes- Demes (“villages”), ca. 150

 Each tribe contributes:
1 archon (10)
1 strategos (10)
Troops to army
50 men to Boulē (now 500), chosen by lot
prytaneis - prytany  "president"
25
Q

What were the impacts of Cleisthenes reforms?

A
Artificial lines of new tribes
  Note: Cleisthenes = Alcmaeonid
Remaining power of elite families
Plutocracy (rule by wealth)
isonomia  "equality of political rights
26
Q

how were the Greek ostracized?

A
ostraka-------used for voting
Vote by the Assembly
 Majority rules
Exile for ten years
 Possessions would await return
 1st known ostracism = Hipparchus, son-in-law
of Hippias (488/7 BCE)
27
Q

Who was Themistokles?

A

Athenian politician
General during Persian Wars
Ostracized in 472/1 BCE