Table of Contents
- 1 Who came up with the very strict laws in Athens in 621 BC?
- 2 What body made the laws in Athens?
- 3 What did Cleisthenes do?
- 4 What did Cleisthenes do for Athens?
- 5 Why were Draco’s laws so harsh?
- 6 When did Cleisthenes rule Athens?
- 7 What are the six assistants to the Archons of Athens?
- 8 When was the period of Perpetual archonship limited to 10 years?
Who came up with the very strict laws in Athens in 621 BC?
Learn More in these related Britannica articles: affair that the Athenian lawgiver Draco gave the city its first comprehensive law code (perhaps 621)….… … law code allegedly introduced by Draco c. 621 bce.
Who made the laws in Athens?
The Law in Ancient Greece. The traditions of Athens and Sparta say that the laws were given to them by Solon and Lycurgus, legendary figures who served as leaders of their city-states long ago. The two traditions agree that the laws are made by the Assembly and approved by the Senate.
What body made the laws in Athens?
The Athenian law court was large and decisions were made by majority. The courts could also exile those from society who were gaining too much power and could become tyrants. The laws of Athens also changed as the courts changed to work better with society.
What did Draco and Solon do?
DRACO– Athenians entrusted Thesmothet Draco in 621 BC to write laws. Dracon was the oldest legislator of Athens. Before Dracon law, trials in Athens, political decisions were managed and adopted by custom law and these law was not written.
What did Cleisthenes do?
Cleisthenes of Athens, Cleisthenes also spelled Clisthenes, (born c. 508), statesman regarded as the founder of Athenian democracy, serving as chief archon (highest magistrate) of Athens (525–524). Cleisthenes successfully allied himself with the popular Assembly against the nobles (508) and imposed democratic reform.
Who decided the outcome of Athenian trials?
Some trials had as many as 500 jurors who had volunteered to judge a case. Only the jury could bring in a decision that someone was guilty or innocent. The judge only kept order, but could not decide a trial outcome.
What did Cleisthenes do for Athens?
Cleisthenes successfully allied himself with the popular Assembly against the nobles (508) and imposed democratic reform. Perhaps his most important innovation was the basing of individual political responsibility on citizenship of a place rather than on membership in a clan.
How did Athens enforce laws?
According to Plutarch, when Solon revised the laws of Athens in the 6th century BCE , he wrote the new laws on wooden tablets (Plut. Sol. 25.1). By inscribing laws, either on wood or in stone, and setting them in a public place, knowledge of the laws was made available to all citizens, rather than to a small elite.
Why were Draco’s laws so harsh?
Draco’s laws were known for their cruelty and their bias towards the rich landowners as opposed to those who found themselves owing money. Justice has not always been dispensed by judges operating under a written or common law equally applicable to all.
What were Solon’s laws?
He forbade the export of produce other than olive oil, minted new Athenian coinage on a more universal standard, reformed the standard of weights and measures, and granted immigrant craftsmen citizenship. Reforms also affected the political structure of Athens.
When did Cleisthenes rule Athens?
507 B.C.
In the year 507 B.C., the Athenian leader Cleisthenes introduced a system of political reforms that he called demokratia, or “rule by the people” (from demos, “the people,” and kratos, or “power”). It was the first known democracy in the world.
What were two purposes of Cleisthenes reforms in Athens?
Through Cleisthenes’ reforms, the people of Athens endowed their city with isonomic institutions—equal rights for all citizens (though only free men were citizens)—and established ostracism as a punishment.
What are the six assistants to the Archons of Athens?
The polemarch or strategoi, basileus, and thesmothetai (the six assistants to the archons) are also listed, where known. The later Athenian tradition varies on the exact position of this line; they held archonship for life, sometimes referred to as “Perpetual Archon”, and exercised the sacral powers of kingship, as did the archon basileus later.
What was the year of the archon in ancient Athens?
After 508 BC the offices were held for only a single year, and the year was named after the archon eponymous. [citation needed] The year ran from July to June. The archon eponymous was the chief archon, and presided over meetings of the Boule and Ecclesia, the ancient Athenian assemblies.
When was the period of Perpetual archonship limited to 10 years?
In 753 BC the perpetual archonship by the Eupatridae was limited to 10 years (the “decennial archons”): In Rome, Romulus, the first ruler of the city, takes power. In Messenia, First Messenian War begins.
What was the year of the archon eponymous?
After 683 BC the offices were held for only a single year, and the year was named after the archon eponymous. The year ran from July to June. The archon eponymous was the chief archon, and presided over meetings of the Boule and Ecclesia, the ancient Athenian assemblies.