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Paragraph 3.2. The government of the polis. Theseus and Ariadne. Theseus was the King who united a lot of tribes in the 13 th century BC. He called it Athens. He killed the Minotaur, a monster half bull/man, that lived in a labyrinth in the palace of king Minos on Crete.
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Paragraph 3.2 The government of the polis
Theseus and Ariadne • Theseus was the King who united a lot of tribes in the 13th century BC. • He called it Athens. • He killed the Minotaur, a monster half bull/man, that lived in a labyrinth in the palace of king Minos on Crete. • The Minotaur was fed with Athenian children, and one day young Theseus was send there.
He fell in love with the daughter of Minos, called Ariadne. • She gave him a sword and a ball of thread so he could kill the Minotaur and find his way out.
Monarchy, aristocracy, Tyranny • Athens and a lot of other city-states were a monarchy. • They were ruled by a king. • From the 8th century on, some city-states were taken over by a small group of landowners. • They were often rich or important people ( the best= aristos) • A government ruled by these men was called an aristocracy.
Sparta was always an aristocracy. • The city was governed by a council of men from the most important families of the polis. • Sometimes 1 member of the council could get all the power, using violence. • That person was a tyrant, and the polis became a tyranny. • There were some good tyrants as well.
The people’s assembly of Athens • 6th century BC, Athens was an aristocracy. • 546 BC Peisistratos took power, and it became a tyranny. • He was a good leader. • Helped small farmers, improved the justice system and gave the city new buildings. • 510 BC aristocrat Cleisthenes devised a new system for Athens.
There would be a people’s assembly: a meeting. • They would decide about: • War, peace, money, civil servants. • Every citizen of Athens, poor or rich, was allowed to participate (=meedoen). • The people (= demos) of Athens had a vote: this is called a democracy.
Skilful speakers • The assemblywould meet manytimes on a hill close to the agora. • For imporantdecisions, 6000 people had tobe present. • Ifyouwantedto talk tosomanypeople, you had to have a goodvoiceandconvinction ( =overtuiging) • Youcanlearnhowto do this.
Youcan take lessonsfrom a sophist. • That is a teacher whocanteachyouhowto talk in public. (rhetoric) • A skilful speaker couldbecome the new leader.
The assemblyalsodecidedto built a large temple on the acropolis. • It was called the Parthenon, andit was built forAthena, the goddess of the city.
Ostracism • 1 time a year the assemblywouldvoteforanostracism. • If 1 person had toomuch power he couldbesendaway (expelled) from the polis for 10 years. • Allpeople at the agora had to scratch a name of anunwanted person on a piece of pottery. • The man with the most votes had toleavewithin 10 days. • This way the democracy was safe.
Citizens. • Citizens had a say in the government. • But notallpeoplethatlived in Athens werecitizens. • Only adult, free men, withbothparentsfrom Athens werecitizens. • Theycouldown land, andjoin in the assembly. • Women, foreigners, slaves had no rights. • Theywerenotcitizens.
Notallpeople in Greece believedthatdemocracy was the best system. • Therewere a lot of debatesaboutadvantagesanddisadvantages of the types of government. • Philosopherslikesocratesand Plato didn’tlikedemocarcy. Common peoplecouldn’t make suchdifficultdecisions. Wisepeopleshould do it.
