The Athenian Citizen: Democracy in the Athenian AgoraA concise introduction to the workings of ancient democracy, The Athenian Citizen has been a bestseller since the original edition was first published almost 60 years ago by Mabel Lang. Using archaeological evidence from excavations at the heart of ancient Athens, this volume shows how tribal identity was central to all aspects of civic life, guiding the reader through the duties of citizenship as soldier in times of war and as juror during the peace. The checks and balances that protected Athenian society from tyrants, such as legal assassination and ostracism, are described. Selected inscriptions are illustrated and discussed, as are ingenious devices such as allotment machines and water clocks, which ensured fairness in the courts. The book ends with some of the lasting products of classical administration: the silver coins accepted around the known world and the standard weights and measures that continue to protect the consumer from unscrupulous merchants. Illustrated entirely in color, with updates and revisions by the current director of excavations at the Agora, this edition of an acknowledged classic will inform and fascinate visitors and students for many years to come. |
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Contents
THE AGORA AND PNYX | 5 |
TRIBES AND DEMES | 7 |
THE EPONYMOUS HEROES | 9 |
MILITARY SERVICE | 10 |
THE COUNCIL AND THE MAGISTRATES | 15 |
LAW AGAINST TYRANNY | 19 |
OSTRACISM | 20 |
JUDICIARY AND LAWCOURTS | 22 |
ATHENIAN CURRENCY | 27 |
STANDARD WEIGHTS AND MEASURES | 30 |
Common terms and phrases
accordance activities addition Agora allotment ancient archon Areopagus Assembly Athenian Athens ball boards bronze building called cavalry chief citizens citizenship coinage coins columns committees Controllers corner Council House court crown decrees deme democracy deposited drachmas duties ephebes EPONYMOUS FIFTH CENTURY B.C. FOURTH CENTURY B.C. function GATE give Gods half held HEROES holding honor identified illustrated immediately indicating inscribed INSCRIPTION joined jurors klepsydra kleroteria late later lawcourts lead legislation letter listed LOWER magistrates marked measures meetings military service MODEL official ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ostracism ostraka Perikles period Persian PNYX probably PROPERTY provisions READING records representations represented seemed serve SHIELD side silver square stamped standard STOA stone THEMISTOKLES THIRD Tholos ticket tiles TOKENS took tribe tube tyranny unit variety various vessels votes weights