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Democracy and the Athenians (Beliefs and Ideas)

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Who counted as a citizen in democratic Athens, and who was excluded?

Democracy and the Athenians: the definition of Athenian citizenship and the citizenship law of 451 BC, the rights and duties of citizens, and the exclusion of women, metics and slaves, and the tension between democratic ideals and social reality.
An OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation (H408/34) study of citizenship and exclusion in democratic Athens. Covers the definition of citizenship and the law of 451 BC, the rights and duties of citizens, and the exclusion of women, metics and slaves, with the tension between democratic ideals and reality, and the source and essay skills the paper rewards.
18 min answer →

How was Athenian democracy criticised by its contemporaries, and how fair were their criticisms?

Democracy and the Athenians: the contemporary criticisms of the democracy from the Old Oligarch, Thucydides, Plato and Aristophanes, the charges of mob rule, incompetence and instability, and the evaluation of these criticisms.
An OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation (H408/34) study of the contemporary criticisms of Athenian democracy. Covers the attacks of the Old Oligarch, Thucydides, Plato and Aristophanes, the charges of mob rule, incompetence and instability, and how to evaluate these criticisms, with the source and essay skills the paper rewards.
18 min answer →

What was the role of rhetoric and political leaders in the Athenian democracy, and were the demagogues a danger?

Democracy and the Athenians: the central role of rhetoric and persuasion in the Assembly and courts, the role of political leaders, the figure of the demagogue, and the debate over whether persuasion strengthened or endangered the democracy, seen in the Mytilene debate.
An OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation (H408/34) study of rhetoric and political leadership in Athens. Covers the central role of persuasion in the Assembly and courts, the contrast between Pericles and later demagogues such as Cleon, and the Mytilene debate, with the source and essay skills the paper rewards.
18 min answer →

How did Athenian democracy develop from Solon to Pericles?

Democracy and the Athenians: the development of Athenian democracy, the reforms of Solon and Cleisthenes, the changes of Ephialtes and Pericles, and the key concepts of demokratia, isonomia and isegoria.
An OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation (H408/34) study of the development of Athenian democracy. Covers the reforms of Solon and Cleisthenes, the changes of Ephialtes and Pericles, and the key concepts of demokratia, isonomia and isegoria, using sources such as Aristotle's Athenaion Politeia and Plutarch, with the source and essay skills the paper rewards.
18 min answer →

How did the institutions of Athenian democracy work together to give power to the people?

Democracy and the Athenians: the institutions of the democracy, including the Assembly (ekklesia), the Council of 500 (boule), the law courts (dikasteria), the magistracies, and the mechanisms of sortition (the lottery) and ostracism.
An OCR A-Level Classical Civilisation (H408/34) study of the institutions of Athenian democracy. Covers the Assembly (ekklesia), the Council of 500 (boule), the law courts (dikasteria), the magistracies, and the use of sortition and ostracism, using sources such as Aristotle's Athenaion Politeia, with the source and essay skills the paper rewards.
18 min answer →