HISTORY 36B Lecture 1: History 36 B Early Athens
Document Summary
Bronze age large/important settlement on the attic peninsula. Site of one of the major mycenaean palaces. Somehow survived the general upheaval/destruction around the. Same depopulation and decentralization as other mycenaean sites, but the city itself largely untouched. Protogeometric pottery appears in 11th century bce. Athens was essentially a number of villages around the acropolis. The basileus of athens was likely the regional authority of attica. Archaeological record shows population growth in the 10th century bce. Process of villages organizing as one political unit - the polis. Theseus abolishes all local governments and established one. Common tradition of attributing important events of preliterate period to a great figure of the legendary past. Athenians believed they were autochtonous (from the land) After unification, everyone in attica was athenian and could participate in government and vote. Oversaw religion/cults of the polis, judged lawsuits pertaining to cult property.
