National Assembly in Ancient Greece: definition, venue, authority

V century BC. E. Entered the history of ancient Greece under the name of "golden". This is the time of the heyday of democracy - the power of the people, realized through the holding of popular assemblies. It was on them that laws were adopted, rulers were elected and the trial of the citizens of the republic was carried out. Similar forums were held in all the ancient states. The Germans had a ting, in ancient Russia - the veche, the Turks - kurultai, in ancient Rome - the commissions. What was the name of the people's congregation in ancient Greece and what is its essence?

The participants

It all started with tribal rivalry, which in city-states turned into citizens' meetings that solved the basic issues of life. Their beginning dates back to the 6th century BC. E. Forums were collected at intervals of up to 10 times a year, and later became regular, and occurred at least three times a month. Who was invited to the People's Assembly in Ancient Greece? Political rights belonged only to men. Conditions two: they must be free citizens, included in special lists, and have an age of over 20 years. Slaves, meteki (immigrants), women and children were not allowed.

The approximate calculations of historians are as follows: of the 450,000 inhabitants of Attica, at the height of their heyday, only 35 citizens enjoyed civil rights. Only a few thousand attended the meetings. The ancient Greeks did not observe the quorum, but no less than 6,000 citizens were required to make important decisions.

The main achievement of democracy was the lack of property qualification. Moreover, at the end of the "golden age", members of the people's congress were paid little money. This was done so that peasants, small traders and craftsmen could break away from work without harming themselves. At the main forum it was possible to simultaneously meet noble and wealthy citizens in luxurious gimatii and poor peasants in chlamys, felt hats and with staffs in their hands.

Place of public gatherings in Ancient Greece

There are three places where the most important gatherings took place in Athens:

• Hillside slope of the Pnyx, located near the Acropolis;
• Market area, or agora;
• Piraeus, a small port suburb of the capital of ancient Greece.

The meeting place was renewed on all sides with a red cord. The strongest slaves, armed with daggers and whips, acted as policemen. Special inspectors checked the incoming for the cordon and checked the lists. The outsiders, on their orders, were driven away by the slaves. Benches were set up on the hill of Pnyks, but more often people were seated right on the ground, where they drank and ate during the day, because the people's congregation in Ancient Greece began early in the morning, and ended with the onset of twilight. By tradition, the ritual of sacrificing the gods was performed. The priests carried among the assembled dead piglets, followed by a prayer that announced the beginning of the forum.

Main questions

For each day an epistat was elected. It was the chairman of the meeting, who kept the keys to the treasury and the seal, led the reception of ambassadors. It was impossible to be elected to this post twice. From 510 BC. E. The leadership of city-states in the interval between meetings carried out a "five hundred council". The executive power was elected by lot. From each of the 10 districts - Phil, lists for 50 people were formed. What other questions did the people's congregation of ancient Greece consider?

Among his main powers were the following:

• Adoption of laws. Any citizen could make a proposal, but it was a very responsible step. If in the course of its consideration at the "Council of Five Hundred" it was found out that it contradicts the previously adopted legislation, the author could be fined.
• Decisions on the most important issues relating to military operations, the signing of treaties and the conclusion of alliances. These problems were discussed most rapidly and sometimes led to scuffles.
• Questions of ostracism - the expulsion for 10 years of people dangerous for the Athenian Republic.
• Addressing emergencies involving charges against officials. In this case, the final decision was always for the court.

Meaning of the word

The People's Assembly in ancient Greece was called an ecclesia. The forum's authority serves as a clue as to how the given word is translated from the Greek language. This "appeal", "assembly", and in fact, - the main authority of the democratic republic. During its heyday, the leaders had to turn into real speakers, for they faced the task of persuading and leading the Athenian citizens. The real master of eloquence was Pericles. It was said about him: being an opponent on both shoulder blades, he would still be able to convince listeners that he had won. In his days he was paid for some public positions, so that poor people could be elected to the government without fear of losing their main source of income.

In the oligarchic republics that came to replace, what was the popular assembly in ancient Greece? The definition gives the answer that it still remained one of the attributes of power. Although it is by no means its highest organ. The rights of the meeting were limited to councils and colleges, where the leading role was played by notable and wealthy citizens. The present democracy ended with the end of the "golden age".