Andrew Wolpert
Associate Professor of Classics
Office: 125B Dauer Hall
Tel: 352-392-2075 ext. 266
Fax: 352-846-0297
wolpert@ufl.edu

Mailing Address
125 Dauer Hall
Department of Classics
University of Florida
Post Office Box 117435
Gainesville, FL 32611-7435

Fall Office Hours
Thursday: 11:00-1:00 PM

CLA 3433

THE DEMOCRACY OF

ANCIENT ATHENS

Tuesday, Thursday (Periods 7, 7-8)

Florida Gym 270

FALL 2008

Weekly Schedule

Course Description

Participatory democracies first appeared in Greece some 2,500 years ago, flourishing for centuries, until they were replaced by monarchies and empires. Although democracy was reinvented in the modern period, direct democracy was considered too radical and too impractical to implement. It was an interesting experiment, but better left in the trash can of history.

This course offers students the opportunity to reconsider our assumptions about participatory democracy. Through a study of the political, social, and cultural institutions of the democracy of ancient Athens, we will consider the strengths and weaknesses of this unique form of government.

Topics include the origin and development of the Athenian democracy; political organizations and social and economic structures; war and imperialism; freedom of speech and intellectual dissent; gender, sexuality, and citizenship; democratic discourse and ideology; and democracy and the arts.

We will try to answer the problems at the root of Greek democracy:

• What caused restrictive forms of government to yield to popular pressure and become democratic in spite of elite opposition?

• How was it possible for ordinary Athenian citizens to be actively involved in setting political policy?

• What impact did democracy have on art and literature?

• Was ancient democracy based on slave labor, the exclusion of resident aliens, and the restrictions imposed on Athenian women?

Required Texts (available at local and online bookstores)

Aeschylus, The Oresteia, tr. by R. Lattimore (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1969).
Adkins, Arthur W.H., and White, Peter, eds., The Greek Polis: University of Chicago Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1986).
Carey, Christopher, tr., Aeschines (Austin: University of Texas Press 2000).
Carey, Christopher, ed., Trials from Classical Athens (London and New York: Routledge, 1997).
Carey, Christopher, Democracy in Classical Athens (London: Duckworth 2001).

Additional Readings

Required books are on reserve in Library West.
Articles are online on Ares (the "Course Reserves" weblink from Smathers Libraries)
Web links to library resources are accessible off-campus only if you use the UF VPN or the Libary Proxy. For more information on how to connect to the library from off-campus, click here.
If you still have difficulty accessing Ares off campus, try Dr. Wolpert's incredibly simple and easy to use instructions (here) or contact Course Reserves: (352) 273-2520 or eres@uflib.ufl.edu

Course Requirements

Three Exams: September 25 (30%), November 6 (35%), and December 15 (35%).
This course has no pre-requisites and is intended for students interested in classics, history, political science, or political philosophy.

Policies

Students are expected to complete all requirements on the specified dates and will not be granted an alternate date unless they have an acceptable reason for their absence as specified in the undergraduate catalog, fulfill the conditions described therein, and provide timely notification. See Attendance Policies.
Use of mobile phones and computers are prohibitted during lectures. Refusal to comply will result in immediate dismissal from the classroom.
Students are required to be honest in their coursework. Any act of academic dishonesty will be reported to Student Judicial Affairs, and may result in failure of the assignement in question and/or the course. See Honor Code.
Students seeking special accomommodations, need to submit such requests to the Disability Resource Center prior to the deadline of the scheduled requirement, and preferably as early in the Semester as possible. For further information, see the Disability Resource Center.
Students facing difficulties completing the course or who are in need of counseling or urgent help may call the on-campus counseling center: 352-392-1575, or the student mental health center: 352-392-1171.

Grading Scale

A = 90-100%
B+= 87-89.9%
B = 80-86.9%
C+ = 77-79.9%
C = 70-76.9%
D+ = 67-69.9%
D = 60-66.9%
E < 59.9%

Schedule

Part 1: History of the Athenian Democracy

August 26: Introduction

August 28: Lay of the Land

Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 1-11
Hedrick, Charles, "Chronology," in Ancient History Monuments and Documents (Oxford 2006) 48-65 (available on Ares). For instructions on how to access Course Reserves off campus, click here.
Handout, "Spelling" (available on Ares)
Optional: Hansen, Mogens, "Evidence," in The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes (Oxford 1991) 4-26 (available on Ares)

September 2: From Cylon to Pisistratus

Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 12-17
Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 1-19 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #16, pp. 228-43)

September 4: Cleisthenes

Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 18-19
Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 20-21 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #16, pp. 243-45)
Herodotus 6.69-73 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #7, pp. 42-43)

September 9: Fifth- and Fourth-Century Developments

Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 19-29
Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 22-41 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #16, pp. 245-59)

September 11: Origins of the Democracy

Ober, Josiah, "Athenian Revolution of 508/7 B.C.: Violence, Authority, and the Origins of Democracy," in Cultural Poetics in Archaic Greece, edited by Carol Dougherty and Leslie Kurke (Oxford 1993) 215-32 (available on Ares)
Raaflaub, Kurt, "Power in the Hands of the People: Foundations of Athenian Democracy," in Democracy 2500?, edited by Ian Morris and Kurt Raaflaub (Dubuque, IA 1997) 33-62 (available on Ares)

Part II: Politics

September 16: The Council

Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 43-47
Ober, Josiah, "Classical Athenian Democracy and Democracy Today," in The Promotion of Knowledge: Lectures to Mark the Centenary of the British Academy 1902-2002 (available on Ares)

September 18: The Assembly and the Demagogue

Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 47-54, 59-70
Finley, M.I, "Athenian Demagogues" Past and Present 21(1962) 3–24 (available on Ares)

Pericles

September 23: The Lawcourts & the demes

Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 54-58, 76-77

September 25: Exam 1

September 30: Locus of Power

Hansen, Mogens, "The Political Powers of the People's Court in Fourth-Century Athens," in The Greek City from Homer to Alexander, edited by O. Murray and S. Price (Oxford 1990) 215–43 (available on Ares)

October 2: Political Office

Handout: Lysias 16 (available on Ares)

October 7: Political Rights

Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 32-42
Ober, Josiah, "Quasi-Rights: Participatory Citizenship and Negative Liberties in Democratic Athens," Social Philosophy and Policy 17 (2000) 27-61 (available on Ares)

October 9: Imperialism

Finley, M.I. 1978, "The Fifth-Century Athenian Empire: A Balance Sheet," in Imperialism in the Ancient World, edited by P.D.A. Garnsey, and C.R. Whittaker (Cambridge 1978) 103–26 (available on Ares)

Millett, Paul 1989, "Patronage and Its Avoidance in Classical Athens," in Patronage in Ancient Society, edited by Andrew Wallace-Hadrill (London 1989) 15-47 (available on Ares)

Part III: Society

October 14: Free and Slave

Osborne, Robin, "The Economics and Politics of Slavery at Athens," in The Greek World, edited by Anton Powell (London 1995) 27-43 (available on Ares)
Gagarin, Michael, "The Torture of Slaves in Athenian Law," Classical Philology 91 (1996) 1–18 (available on Ares)

October 16: The Young and Restless

Carey, Trials from Classical Athens, Demosthenes 54 (Against Conon), pp. 84-97

October 21: Athenian Wives

Carey, Trials from Classical Athens, Lysias 1, pp. 26-36
Cohen, David, "Seclusion, Separation, and the Status of Women in Classical Athens," Greece and Rome 36 (1989) 3–15 (available on Ares)
Wolpert, Andrew, "Lysias 1 and the Politics of the Oikos," Classical Journal 96 (2001) 416–24 (available on Ares)

October 23: Mistresses and Prostitutes

Carey, Trials from Classical Athens, [Demosthenes] 59, pp. 180-212

October 28: Masculinty

Carey, Aeschines, Against Timarchus, introduction and sections 1-100

October 30: Sexual Deviancy

Carey, Aeschines, Against Timarchus, sections 101-end

November 4: Review

November 6: Exam 2

Part IV: Culture

November 11: Veterans Day (no class)

November 13: Democratic Ideology

Herodotus 3.80-84 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #7, pp. 44-46)
Plato, Protagoras (Greek Polis #14, pp. 217-224)

November 18: Elite Opposition

Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 92-99
The Old Oligarch (Greek Polis #8, pp. 48-56)
Plato, Apology, Crito, Republic (Greek Polis #12, #13, #15, pp. 183-217, 224-227)

November 20: Tragedy

Aeschylus, Oresteia (start)

November 25: Tragedy (continued)

Aeschylus, Oresteia (finish)

November 27: Thanksgiving (no class)

December 2: Comedy

Aristophanes, Wasps (Greek Polis #9, pp. 57-103)

December 4: Comedy (continued)

Aristophanes, Wasps (Greek Polis #9, pp. 103-157)

December 9: Review

December 15: Exam



About CV Courses Links Home Andrew Wolpert Associate Professor of Classics Office: 125B Dauer Hall Tel: 352-392-2075 ext. 266 Fax: 352-846-0297 wolpert@ufl.edu Mailing Address 125 Dauer Hall Department of Classics University of Florida Post Office Box 117435 Gainesville, FL 32611-7435 Fall Office Hours Thursday: 11:00-1:00 PM	CLA 3433 THE DEMOCRACY OF ANCIENT ATHENS Tuesday, Thursday (Periods 7, 7-8) Florida Gym 270 FALL 2008 Weekly Schedule Course Description Participatory democracies first appeared in Greece some 2,500 years ago, flourishing for centuries, until they were replaced by monarchies and empires. Although democracy was reinvented in the modern period, direct democracy was considered too radical and too impractical to implement. It was an interesting experiment, but better left in the trash can of history. This course offers students the opportunity to reconsider our assumptions about participatory democracy. Through a study of the political, social, and cultural institutions of the democracy of ancient Athens, we will consider the strengths and weaknesses of this unique form of government. Topics include the origin and development of the Athenian democracy; political organizations and social and economic structures; war and imperialism; freedom of speech and intellectual dissent; gender, sexuality, and citizenship; democratic discourse and ideology; and democracy and the arts. We will try to answer the problems at the root of Greek democracy: • What caused restrictive forms of government to yield to popular pressure and become democratic in spite of elite opposition? • How was it possible for ordinary Athenian citizens to be actively involved in setting political policy? • What impact did democracy have on art and literature? • Was ancient democracy based on slave labor, the exclusion of resident aliens, and the restrictions imposed on Athenian women? Required Texts (available at local and online bookstores) Aeschylus, The Oresteia, tr. by R. Lattimore (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1969). Adkins, Arthur W.H., and White, Peter, eds., The Greek Polis: University of Chicago Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1986). Carey, Christopher, tr., Aeschines (Austin: University of Texas Press 2000). Carey, Christopher, ed., Trials from Classical Athens (London and New York: Routledge, 1997). Carey, Christopher, Democracy in Classical Athens (London: Duckworth 2001). Additional Readings Required books are on reserve in Library West. Articles are online on Ares (the "Course Reserves" weblink from Smathers Libraries) Web links to library resources are accessible off-campus only if you use the UF VPN or the Libary Proxy. For more information on how to connect to the library from off-campus, click here. If you still have difficulty accessing Ares off campus, try Dr. Wolpert's incredibly simple and easy to use instructions (here) or contact Course Reserves: (352) 273-2520 or eres@uflib.ufl.edu Course Requirements Three Exams: September 25 (30%), November 6 (35%), and December 15 (35%). This course has no pre-requisites and is intended for students interested in classics, history, political science, or political philosophy. Policies Students are expected to complete all requirements on the specified dates and will not be granted an alternate date unless they have an acceptable reason for their absence as specified in the undergraduate catalog, fulfill the conditions described therein, and provide timely notification. See Attendance Policies. Use of mobile phones and computers are prohibitted during lectures. Refusal to comply will result in immediate dismissal from the classroom. Students are required to be honest in their coursework. Any act of academic dishonesty will be reported to Student Judicial Affairs, and may result in failure of the assignement in question and/or the course. See Honor Code. Students seeking special accomommodations, need to submit such requests to the Disability Resource Center prior to the deadline of the scheduled requirement, and preferably as early in the Semester as possible. For further information, see the Disability Resource Center. Students facing difficulties completing the course or who are in need of counseling or urgent help may call the on-campus counseling center: 352-392-1575, or the student mental health center: 352-392-1171. Grading Scale A = 90-100% B+= 87-89.9% B = 80-86.9% C+ = 77-79.9% C = 70-76.9% D+ = 67-69.9% D = 60-66.9% E < 59.9% Schedule Part 1: History of the Athenian Democracy August 26: Introduction August 28: Lay of the Land Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 1-11 Hedrick, Charles, "Chronology," in Ancient History Monuments and Documents (Oxford 2006) 48-65 (available on Ares). For instructions on how to access Course Reserves off campus, click here. Handout, "Spelling" (available on Ares) Optional: Hansen, Mogens, "Evidence," in The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes (Oxford 1991) 4-26 (available on Ares) September 2: From Cylon to Pisistratus Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 12-17 Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 1-19 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #16, pp. 228-43) September 4: Cleisthenes Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 18-19 Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 20-21 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #16, pp. 243-45) Herodotus 6.69-73 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #7, pp. 42-43) September 9: Fifth- and Fourth-Century Developments Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 19-29 Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 22-41 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #16, pp. 245-59) September 11: Origins of the Democracy Ober, Josiah, "Athenian Revolution of 508/7 B.C.: Violence, Authority, and the Origins of Democracy," in Cultural Poetics in Archaic Greece, edited by Carol Dougherty and Leslie Kurke (Oxford 1993) 215-32 (available on Ares) Raaflaub, Kurt, "Power in the Hands of the People: Foundations of Athenian Democracy," in Democracy 2500?, edited by Ian Morris and Kurt Raaflaub (Dubuque, IA 1997) 33-62 (available on Ares) Part II: Politics September 16: The Council Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 43-47 Ober, Josiah, "Classical Athenian Democracy and Democracy Today," in The Promotion of Knowledge: Lectures to Mark the Centenary of the British Academy 1902-2002 (available on Ares) September 18: The Assembly and the Demagogue Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 47-54, 59-70 Finley, M.I, "Athenian Demagogues" Past and Present 21(1962) 3–24 (available on Ares) September 23: The Lawcourts & the demes Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 54-58, 76-77 September 25: Exam 1 September 30: Locus of Power Hansen, Mogens, "The Political Powers of the People's Court in Fourth-Century Athens," in The Greek City from Homer to Alexander, edited by O. Murray and S. Price (Oxford 1990) 215–43 (available on Ares) October 2: Political Office Handout: Lysias 16 (available on Ares) October 7: Political Rights Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 32-42 Ober, Josiah, "Quasi-Rights: Participatory Citizenship and Negative Liberties in Democratic Athens," Social Philosophy and Policy 17 (2000) 27-61 (available on Ares) October 9: Imperialism Finley, M.I. 1978, "The Fifth-Century Athenian Empire: A Balance Sheet," in Imperialism in the Ancient World, edited by P.D.A. Garnsey, and C.R. Whittaker (Cambridge 1978) 103–26 (available on Ares) Millett, Paul 1989, "Patronage and Its Avoidance in Classical Athens," in Patronage in Ancient Society, edited by Andrew Wallace-Hadrill (London 1989) 15-47 (available on Ares) Part III: Society October 14: Free and Slave Osborne, Robin, "The Economics and Politics of Slavery at Athens," in The Greek World, edited by Anton Powell (London 1995) 27-43 (available on Ares) Gagarin, Michael, "The Torture of Slaves in Athenian Law," Classical Philology 91 (1996) 1–18 (available on Ares) October 16: The Young and Restless Carey, Trials from Classical Athens, Demosthenes 54 (Against Conon), pp. 84-97 October 21: Athenian Wives Carey, Trials from Classical Athens, Lysias 1, pp. 26-36 Cohen, David, "Seclusion, Separation, and the Status of Women in Classical Athens," Greece and Rome 36 (1989) 3–15 (available on Ares) Wolpert, Andrew, "Lysias 1 and the Politics of the Oikos," Classical Journal 96 (2001) 416–24 (available on Ares) October 23: Mistresses and Prostitutes Carey, Trials from Classical Athens, [Demosthenes] 59, pp. 180-212 October 28: Masculinty Carey, Aeschines, Against Timarchus, introduction and sections 1-100 October 30: Sexual Deviancy Carey, Aeschines, Against Timarchus, sections 101-end November 4: Review November 6: Exam 2 Part IV: Culture November 11: Veterans Day (no class) November 13: Democratic Ideology Herodotus 3.80-84 (in Adkins & White, Greek Polis #7, pp. 44-46) Plato, Protagoras (Greek Polis #14, pp. 217-224) November 18: Elite Opposition Carey, Democracy in Classical Athens, 92-99 The Old Oligarch (Greek Polis #8, pp. 48-56) Plato, Apology, Crito, Republic (Greek Polis #12, #13, #15, pp. 183-217, 224-227) November 20: Tragedy Aeschylus, Oresteia (start) November 25: Tragedy (continued) Aeschylus, Oresteia (finish) November 27: Thanksgiving (no class) December 2: Comedy Aristophanes, Wasps (Greek Polis #9, pp. 57-103) December 4: Comedy (continued) Aristophanes, Wasps (Greek Polis #9, pp. 103-157) December 9: Review December 15: Exam Links to online articles and books are accessible off-campus only by using the UF VPN or Library Proxy