The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes: Structure, Principles, and IdeologyThe Athenian democracy of the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. is the most famous and perhaps most nearly perfect example of direct democracy. Covering the period 403-322 B.C., Mogens Herman Hansen focuses on the crucial last thirty years, which coincided with the political career of Demosthenes. Hansen distinguishes between the city's seven political institutions: the Assembly, the nomothetai, the People's Court, the boards of magistrates, the Council of Five Hundred, the Areopagos, and ho boulomenos. He discusses how Athenians conceived liberty both as the ability to participate in the decision-making process and as the right to live without oppression from the state or other citizens. Equality was conceived of as an equality not of nature but of opportunity. |
Contents
Direct Democracy in Historical Perspective | 1 |
Athens as a CityState and as a Democracy | 55 |
The Assembly of the People | 125 |
The Laws and the Nomothetai | 161 |
The Peoples Court | 178 |
The Magistrates | 225 |
The Council of Five Hundred | 246 |
The Political Leaders | 266 |
The Council of the Areopagos | 288 |
The Character of Athenian Democracy | 296 |
One Hundred and Sixty Theses about | 321 |
Maps and Plans | 355 |
Glossary | 385 |
408 | |
428 | |
Common terms and phrases
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