The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes

Download or read book The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes written by Mogens Herman Hansen and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Athenian democracy of the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. is the most famous and perhaps most nearly perfect example of direct democracy. Covering the period 403-322 B.C., Mogens Herman Hansen focuses on the crucial last thirty years, which coincided with the political career of Demosthenes. Hansen distinguishes between the city's seven political institutions: the Assembly, the nomothetai, the People's Court, the boards of magistrates, the Council of Five Hundred, the Areopagos, and ho boulomenos. He discusses how Athenians conceived liberty both as the ability to participate in the decision-making process and as the right to live without oppression from the state or other citizens. Equality was conceived of as an equality not of nature but of opportunity.