Skip to content

Questions about Athenian democracy

Short answers, pulled from the story.

When did Solon issue the decree that transformed Athens from an aristocracy into a system where free residents could participate in government meetings?

Solon issued this decree in 594 BC. He cancelled existing debts and freed those who had been enslaved for owing money to creditors, which is known as the seisachtheia or shaking off of burdens.

Who organized citizens into ten new tribes based on geographical location rather than wealth or family lineage in 508 07 BC?

Cleisthenes arrived in 508 07 BC to dismantle the remaining power of aristocratic families. He organized citizens into ten new tribes based on geographical location rather than wealth or family lineage.

What percentage of the total adult population were adult male citizens in Athens around 338 BC?

Adult male citizens probably constituted no more than 30 percent of the total adult population in Athens around 338 BC. Women, slaves, and foreign residents known as metics formed the non-citizen component of the population excluded from all government participation.

How many councilors did each of Cleisthenes's ten tribes provide to the Council of 500?

Each of Cleisthenes's ten tribes provided fifty councilors who were at least thirty years old. These members served as a standing committee called prytaneis for periods of thirty-six days.

When was Athenian democracy restored after Cassander's rule ended in 307 BC?

Democracy was restored in 307 BC after Cassander's rule ended. However, Athens had become politically impotent by then under Macedonian forces that conquered the city in 338 BC.