Workings of Athenian Democracy Flashcards
What was the role of the Boule in Athenian democracy?
The Boule supported the government and advised the assembly.
It prepared motions for the assembly and oversaw the implementation of assembly’s decisions.
How were councillors selected for the Boule?
Each tribe selected 50 councillors by lot annually.
This ensured representation from every deme.
What is sortition?
Selection by lot used to choose public officials.
Athenians believed it was the fairest way to share public office responsibilities.
Who were the only public officials elected in Athens?
Military officials, notably the generals.
This was due to the need for knowledgeable and experienced individuals.
Where did the Boule meet?
In the Bouleuterion, located in the Agora.
The Agora served as the civic centre of Athens.
What was the purpose of the prytany system?
A period when fifty councillors from one tribe were on-call and lived at state expense.
This lasted for 35 or 36 days.
What were prytaneis responsible for?
Preparing the agenda for council meetings.
They were the councillors on-call during the prytany period.
How was the chairman of the council chosen each day?
One councillor was chosen by lot to be the chairman.
This individual also acted as chairman of the assembly if it was being held.
True or False: Citizens could serve on the Boule more than twice in their lifetime.
False.
This rule was to prevent any individual from gaining too much power or influence.
Fill in the blank: The Boule met every day except _______.
public holidays.
What responsibilities did councillors have besides preparing motions?
Meeting foreign ambassadors and supervising elections.
They also ensured that all magistrates were scrutinised fully.
