Athens is one of the most famous city states in ancient Greece. It was founded by the Ionians, among the Greek-speaking tribes that migrated to the Balkan Peninsula. In the beginning, kings ruled here too, but before Christ 8. From the first century onwards, the leaders of the tribes took control of the state. This is the age of the aristocrat republic. The most important officials, the Archons, are already elected, but only among the wealthy aristocrats born into a distinguished family. Athens's free population, the Demo, had not yet participated in politics. The population of the city state has increased steadily, but the arable land was no longer sufficient for the population. This led the Athenians, like many other Greek polys, to establish colonial cities on the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts. Colonisation has had a particularly positive impact on industry and trade. The positive position of the large owners' aristocrats remained, but for the Demos, the development of industry and the involvement of maritime intermediaries were an opportunity to get rich. As the Athenian people began to become wealthy, they also felt the need to participate in power. This triggered the reforms that led to the development of ancient democracy. The dissatisfaction and legitimate demands of the Demos were also recognized by the Archons, and gradually gave the common people more space in politics. The first major step is connected to the Archon Dracón, who wrote down the laws. The importance of this was to remove the uncertainties of human memory-based habits and to establish independent Community courts instead of family vigilantes. The name Draconian rigor used today comes from him. The strictness of his laws is well illustrated by the death penalty for theft of fruit. In 594 before Christ, Solon gave the Athenians a new constitution in Arkho. The most important democratic institutions have already appeared in this. Such was, for example, the assembly, of which all free Athenians were members and the jury court. The role of the aristocrats has decreased somewhat, and their role has been taken over by the 400-person council responsible for preparing and implementing the laws, the dome. In Solo, he divided the Athenians into four groups. Those with the lowest incomes could only participate in the operation of the assembly and the jury, and the most wealthy could occupy any position. According to tradition, Szolón made the people swear on the new constitution and then moved out of Athens so that they couldn't force him to change his laws. Upon his departure, a lack of peace arose, and Peistratus, representing the interests of the Demos, seized control. He built absolute personal power, turannis, and controlled Athens with its followers. During decades of his reign, the Demo continued to grow economically, and this is why the tyrant's sons could no longer retain their unlimited power. B.C. In 508 Kleisthenes' archon reforms lay the foundations for classical democracy in Athens. One of the most important measures was the reorganization of blood-based Phüleks. Instead of birth, a territorial military and administrative system was established. Athens was divided into urban, coastal and internal areas, and these were divided into 10-10 smaller parts. By assigning three different parts of the thirty units to each other, he formed ten Phüles, which thus did not form a coherent area. With this reform, he wanted to favour the majority of the Demos on the coast and in cities. From now on, the ten Phules sent 50-50 members to the party and chose a strategist. They were the generals, and ten were in charge of the Athenian army of mainly heavy - armed pedestrians. The strategists were chosen, and all the other officials were drawn. Understandably, the authority and influence of the former were much greater. Kleisthenes' name is also linked to the introduction of the tile vote, whose original aim was to prevent turannis. Politicians who were considered dangerous were punished with 10 years of exile. But there have also been cases of pot voting being used as a tool by opposing politicians to remove their rivals. As a result of the reforms, the rule of the people, democracy, has been achieved in the Athenian state. In the most important issues of the community's foreign and domestic policy, the people's assembly decided. Full citizens could take part in the deliberations in person and all of them could vote. We are therefore talking about a direct democracy. However, it was also limited, since women, aliens living here but not born in Athens, methocians and servants did not have political rights. Before Christ 5. The middle of the century is the flowering age of democracy in Athens. The most prestigious politician of Polis was Pericles, who was elected strategist 20 times in total. He was not a head of state, but he had the moral condition and influence that the majority almost always accepted his will. Athens continued to function according to the Kleisthenes Constitution, and Pericles was a leader in the interests of the people. The most important change then is that the use of daily allowances was extended to almost all institutions and even to theatre visits. The daily allowance allowed the poorest to exercise their political rights. The flowering age of democracy in Athens, which lasted only 57 years, was ended by the Peloponnesian war between the Greek city states. I hope this summary was understandable and helpful. In the video description, you can also find extra training for graduation. 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