Democracy in Classical Athens - Paperback

by Christopher Carey (Author)

For two centuries classical Athens enjoyed almost uninterrupted democratic government. This was not a parliamentary democracy of the modern sort but a direct democracy in which all citizens were free to participate in the business of government. Throughout this period Athens was the cultural centre of Greece and one of the major Greek powers. This book traces the development and operation of the political system and explores its underlying principles. Christopher Carey assesses the ancient sources of the history of Athenian democracy and evaluates criticisms of the system, ancient and modern. He also provides a virtual tour of the political cityscape of ancient Athens, describing the main political sites and structures, including the theatre.

Author Biography

Christopher Carey is Emeritus Professor of Greek at University College London, UK. He has published widely on Athenian democracy and ancient Greek literature, especially oratory and lyric poetry.