Classical Studies 1000 Lecture 9: Democracy at Athens classics lecture 9.docx

• School: Western University
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: Classical Studies 1000
• Professor: Brown Jason

Document Summary

Lies in the background of the peloponnesian war. Oligarchy a bronze age reality (the wanax) a myth by the classical. Period retreats into background predicated on idea of heredity. Tyranny a tyrannos (tyrant) is a term for an individual who seizes control of an existing government. not necessarily bad (the negative connotations come from plato and aristotle) Word in greek moves in direction of negativity and destruction, etc. originally a neutral word examples of both good and bad tyrants in ancient history. Rule by the few" elite group of property owners, reflect entrenched aristocracy the most common form of government in the archaic. Aristotle dismisses this as he sees it as rule by the rich". Challenge having all people make decision together with direct democracy so we result in parliamentary/representational. It means rule (kratos) of the people (demos) Decisions of the assembly: it seemed good to the people demokratia was a hotly debated form of constitution.