CMS 231/ History 231

Litigation in Ancient Athens

 

nomothetai	Solon	Peisistratus	Kleisthenes
Ephialtes	Pericles	Peisander	Theramenes
Thirty Tyrants	deme	graphe paranomon	polis
politeia	eleutheria	metic	eisphora
liturgy	dokimasia	euthynoi	antidosis
symmonies	modern ideology of law	Androtion	Apollodorus
logographer	Euctemon	Diodorus	Theoric Fund
erastes	eromonos	Areopagus	Boule
Ekklesia	Dikasteria	Heliaia	Archons
deme	pinakion	kleroterion	synegoroi
sykophants	matyres	prosklesis	anakrisis
diatetes	klepsydra	atimia	Lysias
Demosthenes	dikastai	hetaira	pallake
porne	probouleuma	psephismata	nomothetai
eisangelia to the people	logistai	proedroi	rhetor

Possible essay questions:

• What were the characteristic features or principles of Athenian democracy by the mid-fifth century bce. What was the institutional structure of the Athenian democracy. How and when were they created? How did the individual institutions of Athenian democracy support the principles of democracy in Athens?
  
  
• How did the role of the Areopagus change throughout the history of the Athenian democracy? What were the consequences of these changes for Athenian politics and law?
  
  
• How did one pass a law in 4th century Athens? How was passing a law different than passing a decree?
  
  
• What institution, the Assembly or the courts, was more important for guaranteeing the success of Athenian democracy? Why?
  
  
• What types of evidence were introduced in Athenian trials. How compelling did juries find these different types of evidence? Why (give examples from speeches we've read?
  
  
• What is the difference between a dike and a graphe?
  
  
• The Harpalos affair marked the pathetic end to the pathetic career of a failed politician. The Harpalos affair was the last glorious display of the power of Athenian democracy. Discusss.
  
  
• What should historians think about before they use Athenian forensic orations as evidence. Use Christ and Hansen and discuss their similarities and differences.
  
  
• What role did sykophants play in the discursive practices of Athenian democracy?