1. The Institutions of Athenian Democracy

2. The Ekklesia ‘Assembly of the people’
All male Athenian citizens over the age of 18
Met 40 times a year/c.every 9 days.
Met at the Pnyx hill, overlooking the Agora
Speakers stood on a rock platform called the Bema
Anyone could speak
All had an equal vote on every law
Voting by show of hands (or sometimes black and white pebbles)

3. Powers of the Ekklesia All decisions made (ARD 120 & 121)
All new laws passed
Only way to power was to convince the Ekklesia time and again (ARD 142)

4. Restrictions on the Ekklesia
Use of Lot The Ekklesia couldn’t choose magistrates
Jury Courts Didn’t judge cases
Code of Laws Could not override the Laws
Agenda Could only discuss matters on the Agenda (ARD
119) (but could require Boule to include in the next meeting)
Restrictions on business Each Meeting has a defined format

5. “The Ekklesia was the embodiment of Athenian democracy
“The Ekklesia was the embodiment of Athenian democracy. It gave the people a direct share in government. In routine matters it relied directly on the Boule, but the most important decisions were fully debated” (Oxford Classical Dictionary)

6. The Boule Council of 500 (50 from each tribe) (ARD 152)
All male citizens over 30 eligible
Members chosen by lot
In office for a year, then not again for 10 years
Could not be on the Boule more than twice (ARD 170)
Met every day in the Bouleterion (ARD 166)

7. Duties of the Boule
Draw up agenda for meetings of the Ekklesia (ARD 155)
Receive ambassadors and embassies
Supervise officials (ARD 158)
Check candidates for office (ARD 172)
Check accounts of officials
Overall charge of triremes, dockyards etc (ARD 156)

8. Restrictions on the Boule
Election by Lot
Changed every year
(Therefore not a ‘career move’ for aspiring politicians)
Power lies with the Ekklesia (Boule more ‘civil service’ than government)

9. “The Boule was the keystone of the democratic constitution; without its assistance in the formation and execution of policy the Ekklesia could never have exercised its sovereignty wisely and effectively” (Oxford Classical Dictionary)

10. The Prytaneis Standing council
50 men from each tribe for one tenth of the year
On permanent call
Ate (and slept?) at state expense in Tholos (next to Bouleterion)
Elected one of number each day as Chairman
Chaired meetings of Boule and Ekklesia
See ARD 173

11. The Magistrates
Officials appointed by lot in boards of 5 or 10 (ARD 201)
All male citizens over 30 eligible
Appointed for one year
Paid
At end of year of office, conduct examined by Boule; could be prosecuted in Heliaia
Only magistrates elected by vote rather than by lot were financial officials and the ‘strategoi’

12. Strategoi Generals One elected per tribe (ARD 189 & 190)
Later possibly more flexible (ie not in tribes)
Not paid
Could be re-elected (ARD 192)
Not just military commanders – influential in the Ekklesia
Therefore the only way to build a political career.

13. The Law Courts Heliaia = Peoples’ court
All male citizens over 30 eligible (ARD 207)
c.500 on jury
Paid for jury service (ARD 205 & 213)
No judges – presiding magistrates
No lawyers – accuser and defendant made own speeches
Speeches timed by a water clock

14. Choosing the jury List of jurors drawn up at start of year (c.6000)
Jury chosen on day of a trial
Each jury man had a ballot, which he put into a slot in a machine called a kleroterion.
If a white ball came out he was chosen; if black, not.
The machine is on show in the Agora museum in Athens.

15. Presiding magistrates Different magistrates presided over different sorts of cases:
Family and inheritance The Eponymous Archon
Religious cases The Archon Basileus
Military and naval service The Strategoi
Theft and similar offences The Hendeka
Non-Athenians The Polemarch
Any other public case The Thesmothetai
Murder trials The Areopagus

16. The verdict Decision by majority vote (Equal vote = acquittal)
Voting at first by pebbles into urn for guilty or innocent
Then specially designed ballots – solid axle for innocent, hollow for guilty. Enabled more secret vote.
Prosecutor and defendant both proposed penalties
Jury had to decide between them.
Worst penalty = death; otherwise fines, banishment, stocks etc.
No long prison sentences.