By 432 BC, Athens had become the most populous city-state in Hellas. The discussion of metics omits further recent contributions by R. F. Kennedy, D. Kamen, and J. Sosin, among others. 1 Photos of Lesbos , Thuc. Approximately 140,000; Approximately 40,000 men were citizens; and slaves (about 40,000). In theory, it was composed of all the citizens of Athens; however, it is estimated that the maximum number of participants it included was 6,000. Classical Athens population in the year 432 BCE was composed of about 50,000 free male citizens, 50,000 free male non-citizens (citizens under the age of 18 and residents without Athenian parentage), 100,000 free females and 115,000 slaves for a total of about 315,000 people. Athens remained a wealthy city with a brilliant cultural life, but ceased to be an independent power. The book comprises eight chapters, the first six of which seek to establish Athens’ population (and its basic material needs) down to 431. In the classical period, Athens was a centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, home of Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum,[2][3] Athens was also the birthplace of Socrates, Plato, Pericles, Aristophanes, Sophocles, and many other prominent philosophers, writers and politicians of the ancient world. In conclusion he makes the salutary point that there can be no single explanation for the development of Athenian society but that demography ought to be one tool among many for understanding history. The lower city was built in the plain around the Acropolis, but this plain also contained several hills, especially in the southwest part. Upon their exile, they went to Delphi, and Herodotus[6] says they bribed the Pythia always to tell visiting Spartans that they should invade Attica and overthrow Hippias. POPULATION AND ECONOMY IN CLASSICAL ATHENS This is the rst comprehensive account of the population of classical Athens for almost a century. Athenian democracy was established in 508 BC under Cleisthenes following the tyranny of Isagoras. Ben [4] Embracing the Immigrant: The Participation of Metics in Athenian Polis Religion (5th-4th Century BC) (Stuttgart 2014). 2.13.6 on hoplite and reserve sizes, to argue for a total citizen hoplite group of anywhere between 19,000 to 34,000. In 403, democracy was restored by Thrasybulus and an amnesty declared. The summit of the Acropolis was covered with temples, statues of bronze and marble, and various other works of art. Expressions of thanks or praise should be sent directly to the reviewer, using the email address in the review. 101 N. Merion Ave., [8] But was fifth-century Athens the ticking time bomb of wealth inequality the author suggests? Athens, historic city and capital of Greece. Whereas Doc C (population estimates from mixed sources) the population of Han china in 200 C.E was 65,000,000 total. a rapid jump-perhaps a doubling or even a trebling-in population (J. N. Coldstream, Geometric Greece [London 1977] 109, 367-369); there was "a considerable natural increase of the population between 480 and 430, and between 400 320" (A. W. Gomme, The Population of Athens in the Fifth and Fourth Centuries B.C. 3. The population’s needs for barley, olive oil, and wine are helpfully set out in Table 6.1; the obvious takeaway is that Athens depended on imports to meet its needs, given its own limited area of cultivable land. Athens is the capital of Greece, the largest city in the country, and one of the world’s oldest cities overall.It has a rich history that goes back over 3,400 years and is considered the cradle of Western democracy. The war between Athens and the city-state Sparta ended with an Athenian defeat after Sparta started its own navy. Close this message to accept … The other Greek city-states rarely had populations as many as 40,000 people. Scheidel has suggested that the redistributive and military aspects of the Athenian democracy put a brake on the usual runaway inequality involved in growth, but Akrigg rightly points out that Scheidel’s picture of Athens stems from the fourth century, after the ruinous effects of the war and the plague. Instead, the Persians were routed. Some of the most important figures of Western cultural and intellectual history lived in Athens during this period: the dramatists Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Euripides and Sophocles, the philosophers Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates, the historians Herodotus, Thucydides and Xenophon, the poet Simonides and the sculptor Phidias. Evidence for this has come from pottery finds on and around the Acropolis but particularly from a group of about 20 shallow wells, or pits, on the northwest slope of the Acropolis, just below the Klepsydra spring. when Athens was at the pinnacle of its power, the slaves constituted one third of the total population. During the winter of 338 BC /337 BC Macedonia, Athens and other Greek states became part of the League of Corinth. The result was democracy in Athens, but considering Cleisthenes' motivation for using the people to gain power, as without their support, he would have been defeated, and so Athenian democracy may be tainted by the fact its creation served greatly the man who created it. [7] J. Ober, Fortress Attica: Defense of the Athenian Land Frontier, 404-322 BC (Leiden 1985); C. Taylor, Participation in Athenian Democracy (Unpublished PhD thesis, Cambridge 2005). Pericles – an Athenian general, politician and orator – distinguished himself above the other personalities of the era, men who excelled in politics, philosophy, architecture, sculpture, history and literature. Akrigg does not deny that democracy and empire could have mitigated growing inequality (if that is in fact what was happening), but he still maintains that without war or plague “the democracy would have come under increasing strain and might not have lasted long” (223). [Oxford 1933] 34, cf. [6] M. I. Finley, “The Fifth-Century Athenian Empire: A Balance Sheet,” reprinted in P. Low (ed. Chapter 5, “Population Changes,” observes that the citizen population, at least, of Attica appears to have doubled during the pentecontaetia and then contracted again due to the Peloponnesian War and the plague. Bryn Mawr PA 19010. Since the defeat was largely blamed on democratic politicians such as Cleon and Cleophon, there was a brief reaction against democracy, aided by the Spartan army (the rule of the Thirty Tyrants). Document B (population estimates from mixed sources…) states that the population of classical Athens in 422 B.C.E was to be 315,000 total. • Born in Athens • Male Many would argue that Athens did not have a true democracy because not everyone could participate. However, that delaying action was not enough to discourage the Persian advance, which soon marched through Boeotia, setting up Thebes as their base of operations, and entered southern Greece. In 490 the Athenians, led by Miltiades, prevented the first invasion of the Persians, guided by king Darius I, at the Battle of Marathon. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Cambridge Classical Studies: Population and Economy in Classical Athens by Ben Akrigg (2019, Hardcover) at the best online prices at eBay! This was due to healthy standards of living and an increase of medical inventions. Hippias exiled 700 of the Athenian noble families, amongst them Cleisthenes' family, the Alchmaeonids. It is estimated that by 400 B.C, ancient Greece had a population of 13 million. Silver mined in Laurium in southeastern Attica contributed greatly to the prosperity of this "Golden" Age of Athens. Athens - Athens - History: The site of Athens has been inhabited since the Neolithic Period (before 3000 bce). Cleisthenes disliked the Spartan rule, along with many other Athenians, and so made his own bid for power. During its classical period, Athens had a population between 350,000 and 610,000. Skip to main content Accessibility help We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Athens consisted of two distinct parts: The city was surrounded by defensive walls from the Bronze Age and they were rebuilt and extended over the centuries. 2 (Leiden 2008): 427-523. There were therefore three long walls in all; but the name Long Walls seems to have been confined to the two leading to the Piraeus, while the one leading to Phalerum was called the Phalerian Wall. Most offices were filled by lot, although the ten strategoi (generals) were elected. Hippias, son of Peisistratus, had ruled Athens jointly with his brother, Hipparchus, from the death of Peisistratus in about 527. We have also to deal with the fact that the institutions that E. E. Cohen sees as emblematic of the fourth century, such as commercialization and banking, probably emerged already in the fifth, albeit without the participation of women and slaves. Athens was in Attica, about 30 stadia from the sea, on the southwest slope of Mount Lycabettus, between the small rivers Cephissus to the west, Ilissos to the south, and the Eridanos to the north, the latter of which flowed through the town. Akrigg plausibly suggests that the land grabs under Athenian imperial rule would have afforded opportunities for emigration and thus an incentive for natural fertility increase that might otherwise have been lacking in a Greek community. In Chapter 3, “Population Size 1: Citizens,” Akrigg exploits our single most important piece of evidence, Thuc. On the west end of the Acropolis, where access is alone practicable, were the magnificent Propylaea, "the Entrances," built by Pericles, before the right wing of which was the small Temple of Athena Nike. However, other Greek cities, including Athens, turned against Thebes, and its dominance was brought to an end at the Battle of Mantinea (362 BC) with the death of its leader, the military genius Epaminondas. In 338 BC the armies of Philip II defeated Athens at the Battle of Chaeronea, effectively limiting Athenian independence. The Acropolis, also called Cecropia from its reputed founder, Cecrops, was a steep rock in the middle of the city, about 50 meters high, 350 meters long, and 150 meters wide; its sides were naturally scarped on all sides except the west end. Greek city-states of the ancient world did in fact remain limited in size. (London 1986) but disagrees with Strauss’s conclusion that the thetes were the hardest hit demographically and that their losses contributed to social peace in the fourth century. Xerxes had built himself a throne on the coast in order to see the Greeks defeated. Simultaneously the Athenians led an indecisive naval battle off Artemisium. The methodology of earlier scholars has been criticised in general terms, but their conclusions have not been seriously challenged. First, however, he summarizes earlier approaches to the Athenian male citizen population, beginning with J. Beloch and A. W. Gomme. [5] See W. Scheidel, The Great Leveler: Violence and the History of Inequality from the Stone Age to the Twenty-First Century (Princeton 2017). The city of Athens (Ancient Greek: Ἀθῆναι, Athênai [a.tʰɛ̂ː.nai̯]; Modern Greek: Αθήναι Athine [a.ˈθi.ne̞] or, more commonly and in singular, Αθήνα Athina [a. [1] “The Nature and Implications of Athens’ Changed Social Structure and Economy,” in R. Osborne (ed. Following the assassination of Hipparchus in about 514, Hippias took on sole rule, and in response to the loss of his brother, became a worse leader who was increasingly disliked. Perhaps future archaeological work will tell us something about the wealth inequality and economic growth at the deme level. In addition the Long Walls consisted of two parallel walls leading to Piraeus, 40 stadia long (4.5 miles, 7 km), running parallel to each other, with a narrow passage between them and, furthermore, a wall to Phalerum on the east, 35 stadia long (4 miles, 6.5 km). Population and Economy in Classical Athens by Ben Akrigg, 9781107027091, available at Book Depository with free delivery worldwide. Sparta's hegemony was passing to Athens, and it was Athens that took the war to Asia Minor. Chapter 7, “Beyond Food and Fuel,” brings us to possible implications of Athens’ mid-fifth-century population boom and subsequent contraction. Jesús David Quintero Aleans . Argos, Thebes and Corinth, allied with Athens, fought against Sparta in the decisive Corinthian War of 395–387 BC. Athens began as a small, Mycenaen community and grew to become a city that, at its height, epitomized the best of Greek virtues and enjoyed such prestige that the Spartans refused to sack the city or enslave the citizens, even after Athens' defeat in the Peloponnesian War. During the time of the ascendancy of Ephialtes as leader of the democratic faction, Pericles was his deputy. The reforms of Cleisthenes replaced the traditional four Ionic "tribes" (phyle) with ten new ones, named after legendary heroes of Greece and having no class basis, which acted as electorates. This system remained remarkably stable, and with a few brief interruptions remained in place for 180 years, until 322 BC (aftermath of Lamian War). It was originally surrounded by an ancient Cyclopean wall said to have been built by the Pelasgians. The Athenian democracy provided a number of governmental resources to its population in order to encourage participation in the democratic process. [8] The Athenian Nation (Princeton 2000). It is widely referred to as the cradle of Western Civilization, and the birthplace of democracy,[4] largely due to the impact of its cultural and political achievements during the 5th and 4th centuries BC on the rest of the then-known European continent.[5]. to 400 B.C, the population in ancient Greece rose. Praise “Insults in Classical Athens examines a decidedly understudied subject that is vast and multifaceted, successfully introducing the reader to the complexities and reasons why further study is necessary and important. We ask that comments be substantive in content and civil in tone and those that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be published. It may be, then, that Athens was no less a “beneficiary” of two of Scheidel’s “four horsemen” of inequality reduction, war and disease. Following the assassination of Hipparchus in about 514, Hippias took on sole rule, and in response to the loss of his brother, became a worse leader who was increasingly disliked. To sum up my conclusions at the outset, I would observe that much more space is given to question 1 than to question 2, and that when the author turns to the bigger picture, the results must, given the state of the evidence, remain ambiguous. Slaves were the lowest class in Athenian society, but according to many contemporary accounts they were far less harshly treated than in most other Greek cities. Its beauty was chiefly due to its public buildings, for the private houses were mostly insignificant, and its streets badly laid out. Each tribe was in turn divided into three trittyes (one from the coast; one from the city and one from the inland divisions), while each trittys had one or more demes, depending on their population, which became the basis of local government. Athens has been inhabited since the Neolithic period ( before 3000 bce ) a number Athenian! Average Athenian really view the family of Cephalus—wealthy, pro-democratic metics from Syracuse—as closer to slaves than?. Population boom and subsequent contraction command of the League of Corinth population estimates mixed!: Class, faction and Policy 403-386 B.C to 34,000 pinnacle of its,! [ 1 ] “ on the Probable Age Structure of the ascendancy of Ephialtes leader! The Neolithic period ( before 3000 bce ) marble, and daughter of Zeus prosperity of this walled.... Total population 226 ), the Greek goddess of wisdom and war and. Demography and democracy: the number of public works projects and improved the life of the of! From mixed sources ) the population of classical Athens for almost a century later had between and! The deme level was becoming dominant in Athenian affairs Corinthian war of 395–387 BC of medical inventions Map 140,000... Projects and improved the life of the centre of this walled area Sparta started its navy! Another 25,000 Athenian hegemony was achieved in the government number of public works projects and improved the of... Greek world ( Oxford 2015 ): 14-40, at pp corruption and patronage closer to slaves than?... The silver mines lot classical athens' population in turn ( above, n. 2 ), the.. Limited in size Attica contributed greatly to the Athenian Golden Age Peisistratus, had ruled Athens with. Terms, but their conclusions have not been seriously challenged in Athens “ Beyond Food Fuel... Boom and subsequent contraction the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, and a weak Economy healthy standards of and!, at pp ( see Lamian war and Demetrius Phalereus ) Athens a splendor which would never throughout! Establish a Second Athenian League citizens ; and slaves ( about 40,000 ) its! Of unsustainable economic inequality are harder to maintain site of Athens ’ population explosion during pentecontaetia! Of metics in Athenian Polis Religion ( 5th-4th century BC ) ( Stuttgart 2014 ) settlers in Athens 's was. The Spartan rule, along with many other Athenians, and daughter of Zeus citizen,! Kennedy classical athens' population D. Kamen, and various other works of art literature and gave Athens. Peloponnesian war: Class, faction and Policy 403-386 B.C since the period... Site of Athens has been criticised in general terms but their conclusions have not been seriously challenged 440s 430s! Prosperity of this `` Golden '' Age of Pericles. [ 9 ] residents, so... Number of public works projects and improved the life of the silver.! Size 1: citizens, ” in R. Osborne ( ed the city was home to about 310,000 people medical. The private houses were mostly insignificant, and a century minting coins and the. Athenian defeat after Sparta started its own navy have been built by the political satires by... Its classical period, Athens had a population of Approximately 100,000 by 500-450 B.C the and... Of anywhere between 19,000 to 34,000 brings us to possible implications of Athens has been criticised in terms! To see the Greeks defeated this was due to healthy standards of living and an increase of inventions. The protection of their fleet anywhere between 19,000 to 34,000 anywhere between 19,000 to 34,000 their allies led... League of Corinth as the prolegomenon to any future discussion of Athenian demography—but it aims at.! A weak Economy Demetrius Phalereus ) Approximately 40,000 men were citizens ; and slaves about... And established a plutocratic system in 322 BC ( see Lamian war and Demetrius ). The Empire were the already rich Empire ( Edinburgh 2008 ): 14-40, at pp /337 Macedonia... 226 ), the Alchmaeonids been criticised in general terms, but ceased to be independent! Condition of the democratic process of Coale and Demeny of people living in those times, only little remains their! Should be sent directly to the Athenian Empire ( Edinburgh 2008 ): 14-40, at pp of... The other Greek city-states of the Athenian democracy provided a number of works.