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CLAH107: Framing the Classical World > Week 6 - State > Flashcards

Week 6 - State Flashcards

1
Q

What is Solon’s reformed also called?

A

Seisachtheia - the shaking off / relief of burdens

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2
Q

What did it mean that the poor in Athens were Sixth-part-tenants?

A

The poor paid rent to the rich men’s land which they farmed.

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3
Q

What would happen to the poor if they failed to pay their rents to the rich in Athens?

A

They and their children were liable to arrest.

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4
Q

Who did Solon become with his reforms?

A

“The head of the People”

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5
Q

What did Solon introduce?

A

A boule of 400 lead by the ekklesia

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6
Q

What kind of government did Solon’s reforms establish in Athens?

A

A timocracy

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7
Q

What is a timocracy?

A

A form of government in which possession of property is required in order to hold office.

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8
Q

What did Solon divide society into?

A

Different social classes. Before it had just been poor and rich; slaves and aristocrats.

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9
Q

What was the top class of citizens in Athens called?

A

Pentakosiomedimni

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10
Q

What was characteristic of the pentakosiomedimni class?

A

They owed property which could produce 500 medimnoi of wet or dry goods (or equivalent) per year.

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11
Q

What was the second highest class of Athens called?

A

Hippeus

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12
Q

What was characteristic of the hippeus class?

A

They owed property which could produce 300 medimnoi of wet or dry goods (or equivalent) per year.

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13
Q

What was the third class of Athens called?

A

Zeugitae

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14
Q

What was characteristic of the zeugitae class?

A

They owed property which could produce 200 medimnoi of wet or dry goods (or equivalent) per year.

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15
Q

What was the lowest class of citizens in Athens called?

A

Thetes

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16
Q

What was characteristic of the thetes?

A

They were workers for wages or had less than 200 medimnoi as yearly income.

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17
Q

What happened to the power of the thetes in 460-450 BC?

A

They were empowered to hold public office in the reforms of Ephialtes and Pericles.

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18
Q

How did Cleisthenes divide up the demes of Attica?

A

Divided into 3 regions: city, coast and inland. Each of the 3 regions were divided into 10 groups called trittyes.

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19
Q

What was each tritty named after?

A

The name of its chief deme.

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20
Q

What did Cleisthenes do to membership of the boule?

A

Increased it to 500

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21
Q

How was the boule elected after Cleisthenes’ reforms?

A

By lot.

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22
Q

What was the allotment machine called?

A

The kleroterion

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23
Q

What else did Cleisthenes introduce along with democracy?

A

Ostracism

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24
Q

What was ostracism?

A

Politically influential men were sent away from Athens to avoid tyranny.

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25
What is an ostracon (pl. ostraka)?
A piece of pottery usually broken off form a vase or other earthenware vessel.
26
What was the Decree of Eucrates (337 BCE)?
A law forbidding cooperation with those plotting a coup against the democracy. It calls for the acquittal of anyone accused of murdering the tyrant.
27
What is a monarchy?
A political system based upon the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person.
28
What is a tyranny?
A government in which all the power is in the hands of a single ruler (who has gained power unconstitutionally).
29
What is an oligarchy?
A small group of people having control.
30
What is a timocracy?
A form of government in which possession of property is required in order to hold office.
31
What is a democracy?
A system of government in which state power is vested in the people.
32
What is a demagogy?
When a political leader in a democracy gains popularity by arousing the common people against elites.
33
What is a republic?
A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives.
34
What is an empire?
An extensive group of states or countries ruled over by a single monarch, an oligarchy, or a sovereign state.
35
Who does Herodotus associate with democracy and who with tyranny?
Athens with democracy and Persia with tyranny.
36
What are Herodotus' views on tyranny?
Speaks about its limitations - speaks against Peisistratus
37
What right does Herodotus praise?
Isonomia - the equality right
38
What was one of Herodotus' main concerns?
Athenian imperialism
39
What does Plato say about democracy?
He criticizes democracy saying that excessive freedom can lead to dictators, tyrants and demagogues vying for power.
40
What 3 elements of government does Plato propose?
- Philosophers-kings to make decisions. - Soldiers to protect the state - Producers to create goods
41
According to Aristotle, which forms of government are the "right ones"?
Kingship, aristocracy and politeia.
42
According to Aristotle, which forms of government are the "wrong ones"?
Tyranny, oligarchy and democracy.
43
What is the best political regime according to Aristotle?
A monarchy run with a rational efficiency that leaves little or no scope for citizen participation.
44
What was the best form of government according to Polybius?
Mixed - as it was in Rome.
45
How were people divided at the beginning of Rome?
Into clans / families
46
What was the pater familias?
The (male) head of the Roman household.
47
How were the clans of Rome united?
Under Romulus the first king of Rome.
48
Who made up the Senate?
Consuls of the king
49
How many kings and hills of Rome were there?
7
50
When was the city of Rome founded?
753 BCE
51
When was the Roman Republic founded?
509 BCE
52
How was the monarchy in Rome abolished?
Through a revolution led by Lucius Licinius Brutus.
53
When was the XII Tables Law written and who was it written by?
450-449 BCE by the decemviri (10 men)
54
Where was the XII Tables Law displayed?
Publicly in the forum (main square).
55
What 4 bodies made up the constitution of the Roman Republic?
- The Comitia Centuriata (Century Assembly) - The Senate - The Comitia Tributa (Tribal Assembly) - The Concilium Plebis (Plebeian Council)
56
What was the Comitia Centuriata?
An assembly of soldiers divided into blocks called centuries. Each century gets one vote before the assembly.
57
How are soldiers assigned to centuries in the Com Cent?
According to how much property he owns.
58
What was the character if the Com Cent?
Very aristocratic
59
Who could the Com Cent elect?
Elect higher magistrates (consuls, praetors and censors).
60
What was the role of the Senate?
Central role in day-to-day functionality of the constitution. It makes foreign and military policy, and directs domestic policy.
61
Who made up the Senate?
The most experienced politicians.
62
What power did the censors have?
Could add new members to the Senate or expel members.
62
Who did the Senate issue instructions to?
All magistrates other than tribunes.
63
What was the Comitia Tributa?
An assembly of citizens divided into blocs called tribes. Each tribe gets one vote before the assembly. Both patricians and plebeians vote in this assembly.
64
How are citizens assigned to tribes in the Com Trib?
According to their geographical location rather than property classification. As a result, this assembly is less aristocratic than the Com Cent.
65
Which magistrates could the Com Trib elect?
Lower magistrates (qaestors and curule aediles).
66
What was the Concilium Plebis?
A council almost identical to the Com Trib / A subset of the Com Trib.
67
What are the differences from the Com Trib and Con Pleb?
The Con Pleb is presided over by a Plebeian Tribune and its tribes are only composed of plebeians.
68
What was the difference in power for the Con Pleb after 287 BCE?
Any act passed by them would apply to all of the Senate and People of Rome.
69
Who did the Con Pleb elect?
Plebeian magistrates (Plebeian Tribunes and Plebeian Aediles).
70
What do the Tribunes have the power to do?
Veto any act of the Com Cent, Com Trib, Con Pleb or the Senate.
71
What can any magistrate do?
Veto the action of a magistrate of equal or lesser rank.
72
What were slaves in the Roman Republic?
People with no rights, regarded as possessions. They worked on farms, in mines, as gladiators and as prostitutes.
73
Which groups made up the plebeians in the Republic?
- The Tribunes - Ordinary people
74
What were the tribunes?
Representatives of the plebeians.
75
Who were included in ordinary people?
Townsfolk, farmers and soldiers.
76
What 4 groups made up the patricians in the Republic?
- Consuls - Praetors - Aediles - Quaestors
77
What did the Consuls do?
Managed army and affairs of government. They could veto each other.
78
How many consuls were there?
2
79
Who were the Praetors?
Judges who administered Roman law
80
How many praetors were there?
8
81
What did the Aediles do?
Looked after particular matters of govt such as public buildings, food supply and games.
82
What did the quaestors do?
Managed financial and administrative matters.
83
What was the Senate comprised of in the Republic?
300 magistrates who served for life.
84
What could the Senate not do?
Pass laws, could only propose them.
85
Who did the Senate advise?
The Consuls
86
What could one consul do in emergencies?
Become a dictator for six months.
87
What could consuls do for 18 months?
Become a censor
88
What did censors do?
Conducted a census of Rome every 5 years.
89
What could praetors become?
Governors of provinces.
90
What was the courses of offices referred to as?
Cursus honorum
91
When was Augustus' reign?
27 BCE to 14 AD
92
What were emperors able to do under Augustus' reign?
- Able to introduce and veto laws. - Command the army.
93
What happened to continuous consulships under Augustus?
They were retained
94
Augustus was given the powers of a tribune for life by the Senate. What did this mean in practice?
Augustus could propose legislation and also veto laws.
95
What did Augustus have which made his power superior to any magistrate?
Imperium maius
96
What happened to the Senate under Augustus?
It survived and could endorse an emperor.
97
What is a triumvirate or triarchy?
A political institution ruled or dominated by three individuals, known as triumvirs.

CLAH107: Framing the Classical World (2 decks)

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