The scholarly sources covering the history and culture of Athens are many; some knowledge comes from philosophical writings, personal records, archaeological evidence, official documents, etc. Our 'fast and dirty' overviews are intended as provisory introductions, something to provide a starting point for a bit more investigation in week one of the seminar. I've tried to pick out a few relevant, generally accepted 'facts'; however, don't be disconcerted or embarrassed or worried if you find information that disputes individual points in these introductions. The purpose of this exercise is to fill out this information, in terms of both elaboration and, where evident, controversy!

Therefore, I suggest that you read all of the four overviews in our activity, browse the activity tasks, and then begin the activity described at the bottom of this page, which will ask you to select, request, and then explore an article or website relating a specific point in one of our overviews and then come back to the classroom to summarize your findings in a brief text, noting any discrepancies or elaboration on the information below that seems significant.

As far back as times referred to in the Iliad and the Odyssey, the population of Attica had been divided into a tripartite: the monarch, the patrician advisors, and the people (e.g., workers and soldiers), with the king at the center of power. In 8th Century Athens, the power of the king faded while the wealth and power of the land-owning nobility increased. The power of this aristocracy, however, was a cumulative economic and not a unified political power, due to the influence of individual economic interests. (see Hooker)

The notable cultural activity of this period occurred in Asia Minor. Along the coast were the Ionians, already known for their social and artistic development. East of the Ionian cities lay Persia (in early times an empire extending from Egypt and the Aegean to India) and Lydia (west Asia minor). When the Persians and Lydians invaded Ionian cities, the Ionians, in turn, migrated to Athens, thus stimulating Athenian culture.

The traditionally loose aristocratic structure of Athens was disturbed in 561 when Peisistratus seized control of the government. His rule was based on common forms used by tyrants in other Greek city-states. Instead of relying on the aristocracy for the legitimation of his power, he concentrated on securing the support of the soldier class and left the aristocracy to its own devices. On the other hand, he cultivated the arts and the city became a cultural and political center. The situation of the common people improved.

When Peisistratus died in 510, the aristocracy tried to regain its former power with the aid of Sparta; however, other factions had developed to the degree that this was impossible. After much struggle, Cleisthenes took over and proposed radical reforms which created a form of participatory democracy (participatory if one forgot women, children, slaves and resident aliens).

He began by dividing the population into ten trittyis or voting units. These synthetic "tribes" were made up in equal parts of people from the coast, the plains and the hills, this arrangement being instituted to prevent regional factionalism or dominance by one regional group.

The whole system eventually looked like this...

At base was the popular assembly, open to the approximately 40,000 free-born, male citizens over eighteen years of age. Of this group, about 5000 usually attended the assembly meetings, which took place approximately ten times a year. In order that discussions could be led with less chaos and confusion, the assembly was subdivided into smaller groups:

• The first subdivision was the boule, a group of 500 men, 50 chosen from each of the ten tribes. The boule acted as a kind of steering committee for the assembly.
• The boule was further subdivided into prytany, "an executive subcommittee" of 50 members, effectively, the faction of the boule from any given tribe.
• The prytany rotated on each tenth of the year and was responsible for the daily operation of the city-state.
• The individual head of state (e.g., the individual responsible for making emergency decisions) rotated daily, among the members of the prytany.

This means that in any given year there were 365 heads of state, and that the committee running the operations of state rotated ten times.

Membership in the boule lasted a year, could be repeated only once in a lifetime and this not in consecutive years. Members were not voted but chosen by a lottery system.

Jury members were also chosen by lot, and consisted of up to over 6,000 men, depending on the importance of the trial. Thus most of the adult male population sat frequently on jury duty. The majority rule determined the verdict.

The only elected officials were the ten generals who made up the body called the strategia. It was through these men that an elected "voice of the people" entered the assembly, even though the generals had no power to act politically.

Concerning the relation between political life and the literature of the period:

"We must imagine a community where the men actively participated in the management of the city, on many levels, where the fate and purpose of the community were matters of constant discussion, where the taking of ethical and moral decisions was a continual adult communal activity." (Beye, 153)

Prior to Athenian democracy, the family was the major social institution. The system of organization included tribes (phyllae), which subdivided into brotherhoods (phratres) aristocratic clans (gene) and neighborhood units (demes). The perpetuation and organization of culture, including religion, was therefore the responsibility of the family.

In Athens the husband and wife were clearly recognized as a unit or team. Their main responsibilities were to ensure the stability of agricultural production and land ownership, as well as to procreate and socialize the next generation of Athenians. Children were necessary to the continuity of the family well being and as a kind of social security. Women saw to the domestic side of these responsibilities.

With the democratization of Athens, however, many of the tasks of the family were taken over by the government. (Beye, 158)

The Greek gods reflected the values and attitudes toward the family. Each god or goddess plays a role in part determined by his or her family relationships.

Similarly, they represent different aspects of what will later be described as personality or psyche.

Hera = jealous wife and mother
Athena = sexless, clever manager
Artemis = virgin girl in her animal phase Aphrodite = sexual identity

Zeus = patriarch, authority, power
Hephaestus = maker, technician, craftsman Apollo = spirit, intellect, metaphysicist
Ares = warrior

All 'free' men took part in government. The culture was in this sense collectivist rather than individualistic. During his trial Socrates continued to maintain that the government was his true parent.

Because of this sense of overlap in family and political unity, intimacy and camaraderie in public assemblages of any size were common.

This can be seen to relate to the relationship between the chorus and the characters, the chorus and the audience. When characters address the chorus, they address the audience by implication. The chorus turns to address the audience. There is no physical division.

Just as the family is the central unit of social organization, it is the center point of much drama. Within it one finds intense cultural  relationships and conflicts; however, it also overlaps with political and group identity, since the city has become family. Finally, family is also reflected in the gods' behavior.

The dramatists were citizens first, playwrights second. (Beye, 169)

Athenian Society 5th Century B.C. (here)
Greek Stage History
Aristotle's Poetics
Greek Tragedy Overview
 

After reviewing the tasks listed at the end of each of the above pages, select the task you'd like to complete by requesting it in the appropriate conference area of the classroom. (These will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis.) 

When I've confirmed your request, explore the site(s) indicated in the task description.

After completing your investigation, write a 350-500 word response which answers the questions, providing concrete examples or descriptions as useful. Then upload your response to the presentation area created in the classroom for this purpose.

Resource:

Legal Status in the Greek World

Resource:

A husband's defence...

Resource:

How to train a wife...