The Age of Pericles | Democracy and Government (Lecture 18)

Lecture 18: Because the Athenians of Pericles’s day lived in a democracy, it is easy to assume that their political life was like our own. In fact, the Athenian democracy was very different. The emphasis was on rotating offices annually, so that no person could accumulate power. As well, power was divided between members of various groups: Nine archons served as magistrates, not one. Similarly, the Council of Five Hundred actually served as 10 tribal units of 50 men in succession, not 500 all at once. To spread power even more effectively, many key officials were selected by lot from a list of candidates, rather than elected. The effect was to keep any one individual from accruing enough power to become a potential tyrant. The fear of tyranny meant that the Athenians emphasized participation in government by as many people as possible. In the Assembly, any person could respond to the herald’s summons, “Who wishes to speak?” In many ways, Pericles was the exception to this pattern. As general, he was eligible for election as often as he wished. His reelection over the course of 15 years allowed him to influence policy in a way that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match.

Suggested Reading:
Meier, Christian. Athens: A Portrait of the City in Its Golden Age. New York: Henry Holt, 1998.

Lecture 19: https://rumble.com/v5f0xyy-the-age-of-pericles-the-age-of-moderation-lecture-19.html