Rise of Democracy - Stages in Ancient Greek Democracy

The original democratic society faced many of the same problems seen in the 2000 presidential election in the U.S.

Solon's reforms of the class system and the assembly led to the beginning of democracy in Athens.

We look to ancient Greece as the birthplace of democracy (power in the hands of the demos/people), which is fair, although it was the ancient Greek polis (city-state) of Athens, rather than a consolidated panhellenic (all-Greek) effort, that developed democracy as a form of government. Not all ancient Greeks, and not even all people of Athens thought democracy was a good idea. Here are some of th…

Information on the Athenian Constitution attributed to Aristotle.

Athens, Kings, and the Four Tribes of Ancient Athens.

Cleisthenes was an Athenian statesman credited with a major set of democratic reforms.

This article looks at some of the factors involved in the development of Athenian democracy. Solon, a wise man, poet, and leader, made some necessary changes in the economics and government of Athens, but he also created problems that needed fixing. Cleisthenes' reforms were instrumental in converting the earlier democratic tendencies into a...

The Athenian leader Solon reformed a class system and instituted reforms that led to the beginning of democracy.

The social organization of the Archaic Athenians.

Cylon's supporters and Draco's thieves lost their lives along the Athenian road to democracy.

Solon may have started the democratic reforms in Athens, but it was Cleisthenes who made them work.

Solon redefined citizenship so as to create the foundations of democracy. Before Solon, the eupatridai (nobles) had a monopoly on the government by virtue of their birth. Solon replaced the hereditary aristocracy with one based on wealth.

Information on the Athenian Ephialtes.

A profile of the influential philosopher.