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Athenian society in the time of Pericles

Social structure and political organisation

This tutorial was written by Elizabeth Kidd Education consultant, Newcastle

Outcomes
Principal Focus
The Classical Age
Aristocrats
Citizens
Metics
Slaves
Women
More

Outcomes

H1.1	describe and assess the significance of key people, groups, events, institutions, societies and sites within the historical context
H3.4	explain and evaluate differing perspectives and interpretations of the past

Principal Focus

The investigation of key features of Athenian society in the time of Pericles through a range of archaeological and written sources and relevant historiographical issues.

Students learn about -Social structure and political organisation:

Roles and status of women
Roles of metics and slaves
Athenian democracy

Information for this period comes from a wealth of archaeological and written evidence which present a range of views and interpretations of life in Athens in the Classical Age.

The Classical Age

When we refer to the Classical Age of Athens we think of Athens in the 5th Century BC. At this time Athens was experiencing a new form of government which was considered revolutionary in the Greek world. They also had a new judicial system, new military organisation and a new navy. Athens was a new society with everything to prove. It was wealthier than previously and great changes had occurred within the city itself. Athens was keen to create an identity for itself and to show its superiority to other Greek city-states such as Sparta and Corinth.

There were, however, factors which stood in the way of Athens’ desire to create an hegemony (or leadership) over other Greek city-states. These factors were related to its citizen body which was sometimes at odds with its new image and which was constantly undergoing change. This citizen body was classified by wealth, class and gender.

Exercises

1. In what areas had changes occurred in Athens by the 5th Century BC?

2. What was Athens’ aim?

3. Where did problems occur?

Aristocrats

Most Greek city-states at this time had oligarchic governments (from oligarchy meaning government by a few). These few were the aristocrats of their city-state. Athens had previously experienced this form of government but from the 6th Century BC onwards had developed into a democracy (from the Greek demokratia where demos means people and kratein means to rule).

Pericles, Athens' leading statesman in the 5th Century BC said (according to the historian Thucydides). "Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people."1 This meant that aristocrats (Eupatrids) had lost their monopoly of government and religion but still remained important in Athenian society.

Citizens

An Athenian citizen was the male child of Athenian parents. Out of a population of approximately 315,500 in 431 BC, 172,000 were citizens.2 Women were not included. There were four census classes, retained from the times of Solon the Lawgiver (593 BC) and based on wealth. All classes could take part in government. The lowest class, the thetes, in particular benefited from the new democracy and were thus very supportive of it.

Metics

Metics numbered approximately 28,500 in Athens in 431 BC.3 They were resident aliens with no political rights. They were not allowed to own land and could not obtain citizenship. Many were involved in trade and industry and became very wealthy. Citizens also participated in these activities and worked side by side with the metics. Although not possessing political rights, metics enjoyed similar privileges to citizens in some areas. The Old Oligarch wrote "... we have established freedom of speech... for metics, equally with citizens." 4

Slaves

Slaves made up the lowest class of the population. There were about 70,000 in Athens in 431 BC.5 They could be owned privately or by the state. Privately owned slaves worked in the better class houses where many held positions of trust. There was little agricultural slavery in the state of Attica, as opposed to the city of Athens where slaves could be seen everywhere working for their masters. These slaves were better treated than the state owned slaves.

State owned slaves worked on the roads, in the dockyards, in the mint and on public buildings. The lowest class of slaves worked in the silver mines at Laurium.

Slaves came from a variety of sources; some were prisoners of war, others were unwanted children who had been exposed and left to die, children or men who had been sold into slavery for debt and still others were children who had been born into slavery.

Exercises

1. What is an oligarchy?

2. What is a democracy?

3. What four classes made up Athenian citizenry in the Classical Age?

4. Who were the metics?

5. What sort of tasks did slaves perform?

Women

“The status of a woman was determined by her class.”6Archaeological and written evidence gives us information about the different occupations of women:

priestesses were most respected
hetairai (female companions) had the greatest social freedom
women from the "better classes" have been depicted on pottery as sharing affectionate moments with their husbands and children
middle-class women were occasionally able to go out to religious festivals
there is little evidence on lower-class women.

Written evidence seems to point to women being expected to keep a low profile and become proficient in spinning, weaving and household activities.

Athenian women had no political rights, very few legal rights, limited social contact and could not even choose their husband. However, it would appear that they could show independence or spirit when the occasion arose, e.g. fifth century playwrights such as Sophocles, Aristophanes and Euripides present their heroines as assertive, independent and intelligent women.

The Ancient Greeks

This site is more visually orientated, but nevertheless very useful.

Footnotes

1	Thucydides, II.35.
2, 3 & 5	These are estimates by Gomme of the University of Glasgow (Population of Athens in the 5th Century BC, Oxford, 1933).
4	Old Oligarch (known as Pseudo-Xenophon) in Moore. (1983) Aristotle and Xenophon on Democracy and Oligarchy, Chatto and Windus, London.
6	Bradley, P. (1988) Ancient Greece: Using Evidence, Edward Arnold, Australia, p. 213.