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What is the Assembly in ancient Athens?
The Assembly (ἐκκλησία) was the regular opportunity for all male citizens of Athens to speak their minds and exercise their votes regarding the government of their city. It was the most central and most definitive institution of the Athenian Democracy.
How did the government work in Athens?
Greek democracy created at Athens was direct, rather than representative: any adult male citizen over the age of 20 could take part, and it was a duty to do so. The officials of the democracy were in part elected by the Assembly and in large part chosen by lottery in a process called sortition.
How did the Ekklesia work?
At the meetings, the ekklesia made decisions about war and foreign policy, wrote and revised laws and approved or condemned the conduct of public officials. (Ostracism, in which a citizen could be expelled from the Athenian city-state for 10 years, was among the powers of the ekklesia.)
How did someone get into the assembly in Sparta?
Assembly of the People The Spartan Assembly was similar to the Athenian Ecclesia. Spartan citizens were automatically admitted to the Assembly once they reached the age of 30.
How did the ekklesia work?
What role did the Assembly play in Sparta?
Sparta. The Assembly (ἐκκλησία) was the regular opportunity for all male citizens of Athens to speak their minds and exercise their votes regarding the government of their city.
What is Ancient Greek Assembly?
Ecclesia, Greek Ekklēsia, (“gathering of those summoned”), in ancient Greece, assembly of citizens in a city-state. Its roots lay in the Homeric agora, the meeting of the people. The Athenian Ecclesia, for which exists the most detailed record, was already functioning in Draco’s day (c. 621 bc).
What was the Assembly of Athens known for?
Ecclesia (Ekklesia) is the term used for the assembly in Greek city-states ( poleis ), including Athens. The ecclesia was a meeting place where the citizens could speak their minds and try to influence one another in the political process.
When did democracy start in the city of Athens?
It was around 508 BC that Athenian democracy developed in the city of Athens. Athenian democracy is a very vast topic of discussion. Therefore, only one aspect of democracy in ancient Greece has discussed here i.e. the assembly. Ancient Greek Assembly or ecclesia was the place where central events were held. It resembled a parliament.
What was the Quorum of the Athenian assembly?
…definition of the Assembly, or Ecclesia. As seen, Solon admitted thētes to the Assembly, but Cleisthenes fixed the notional number of eligible Athenians (adult free male Athenians, that is) at 30,000. One-fifth of this total, 6,000, was a quorum for certain important purposes, such as grants of citizenship.…