Ancient Greece always amazed imagination even compatriots, not to mention historians of our time.Their civilization, which originates from the simple fishermen and herdsmen, soon became one of the most powerful in the Ancient World.Greeks honored as the outstanding (and very tricky) politicians finest sailors and soldiers.
considerable heights they reached in mechanics: some of their devices are not inferior to the complexity of mechanical watches of the 19th century.The Greeks were in charge of the energy of steam, created first prototype steam engines in the form of toys.
However, all these and many other achievements would have been impossible without carefully calibrated social structure of the state, which could give its citizens education, protect them from enemies.Since the main "cog" of ancient Greek civilization was a policy, this phenomenon should be discussed separately.
What is the Greek polis?
In fact, a separate policy called the city.But it should make an important clarification: In those years the city were often virtually separate states.The same Phoenician empire was, in the modern sense of the word, a confederation formed by individual countries, which may withdraw from the Group at any time.In addition, the bulk of the population policy has been politically active: any free man considered it his duty to vote, in making important government decisions.
This often results in bitter disputes and even fights in the streets, why contemporaries thought of the Greeks "flighty and flashy people."Thus, the policy should be considered as a separate, specific form of political and social organization.The area of such education is not only limited to the city walls, but those lands, which most of the population of the policy (that is, people in the civil service) could protect and cultivate.
How could any city-state?
Polis is unique in that there was a turning point in ancient history, the transition from the tribal and communal system to the first "protogosudarstva."In those early years, it started stratification of society: people preferred to become skillful artisans and sell the results of their labor, and not give them the gift of created goods.There were merchants, who can sell handicrafts other tribes, firmly stood apart "caste" of soldiers who have defended those same merchants and the general welfare of all members of the "forerunner of the state."
Actually, almost all city-states of ancient Greece had a good army, and therefore, if necessary, could take care of myself.
Of course, all of these people prefer not to live in a bare field.Quickly began to arise and develop large cities.Due to the fact that in their walls lived artisans and landowners, merchants and soldiers, scientists and politicians, they were completely self-sufficient.And any insurance policies.
But how was such a wonderful social order (by modern standards), "city"?Oddly enough, but the main part of the policy of the Greek population of the sample was represented by free men and citizens.They participated in the production of all necessary (herders, farmers, artisans) and in the protection of their land.Military class protected communities from not too dangerous threats, while in times of enemy raids to protect the walls of the policy out of all its inhabitants.
economic basis
key to economic well-being advocated special, ancient form of land ownership.Her feature - the duality of structure.On the one hand, the land belonged to the state unconditionally, but at the same time, private ownership of it not disputed.Important!The right to receive its share owned only (!) National policy by right of birth, the former a free man.Thus the city-states of ancient Greece supported the patriotism of their own citizens as well as foreigners to prevent interference in the internal affairs of the state.
Who else lived in the policy?
As we have already said, all the rights could have not just a free man, but have citizenship by birth policy.In addition to "full" citizens who lived in the policy metic, perieki, freedmen.They were completely free, able to do almost any activity, but could not vote, could not hold positions of responsibility.As a rule, they were engaged in petty trade and crafts.
Servants - the third social stratum policy.They had no rights at all, could not possess property.Every thing done or bought a slave belonged to his master.In particular, these Greek and Roman slavery differed from similar concepts as those of the Phoenicians, who unfree people could still be at least some property.
division of society on the model of Athens
In Athens, the Greek polis model, based on a clear division of all its inhabitants, was particularly pronounced.As we already know, free people were divided into citizens and metic.
citizen could only be one who has both parents were Athenians.They have full political rights.Citizenship of Athens gave the right to all government benefits and payments.With 18 years, these people were considered liable for military service, and up to 20 years, all the boys were mandatory training to military business.With this history of ancient Greece knows moments when the Greeks to surrender to the enemy without a fight.
metic called the people who lived on the territory of Athens for a long time.Most often it is people from other policies.Not only do they not have the right to vote, but could not even buy property in the city.Citizens and metic could not enter into wedlock and children of their relationship were considered rootless.Each metic necessarily had to be the mediator, prostate by which supposed to communicate with the state.
Thus, the bulk of the population policy - the demos, that is, free people.That changed only in the last years of the state, when the slaves in many cities have become the dominant social stratum.
These people, among other things, were subject to a considerable number of different taxes, which often went to the military.In addition, they were required to perform military service.Freedmen equated to them, pay the same taxes.The political model of the Greek polis deliberately did not allow the state to manage these people, because they can harm the power.
slaves were private and public.The latter could become overseers, a member of the police guards, and hangmen be scribes.Slaves private living separately from their owners.In many ways, the only indication of their position was the dues they pay to his master.The slaves could get a prisoner of war, a child slave, a man bought for this purpose abroad.When Solon was abolished slavery long that before the Athens used very actively.As we have already said, the property at the slaves could not be.But this did not apply to public servants who might have something that belongs to them.
testimony of these people in the court had the power, but only in the case where for them was entrusted Mr.He could kill his slave at any time, and it was not considered a crime.For the murder of another "property" relied fine.
policy that gave its citizens?
In those difficult times policy is required to give its citizens the ground, to ensure their right to own slaves.The town, that is the state, I had to take care of the maintenance of economic well-being of all its inhabitants.Simply put, these rights derive from the basic direction of foreign policy - the expansion and colonization, as the citizens are constantly needed new land.For the bearing of state and military service was put cash salary, which was formed from the funds received in the form of taxes and military production.
In general, the history of ancient Greece in this respect no different from the same period in other states.
specifics of military service
Every citizen aged 17 to 60 years of military service was considered (see above).Rich people have formed a cavalry and belonged to the ranks of hoplites (heavy infantry).All other components of light infantry, and, in some cases, the light cavalry.The specificity of social relations within the policy was that the service in the army and the militia was not only honorable, but also desirable.Citizens were really patriots, as well aware that anywhere but in their own policy, they are not wanted, that their lives, as well as the lives of their families and loved ones, is directly dependent on the welfare and protection of their own state.
Features of political arrangement
Despite the huge number of cities, their political arrangement was relatively the same.In any case there were any commonly used rule.So all the cities of ancient Greece had the following legislators:
- National Assembly (Apella, eklessiya).
- Assembly full of senior citizens "honorary members" (Gerousia, the Areopagus, the Senate).
- individually selected officials (magistrates).
National Assembly - the most democratic form of political life at the time - was in every policy.It is due to the presence of the management body to fully realize the right of every adult citizen to participate in public activities.
However, it should be considered that within the policy was peace and harmony.Various sectors of society were a constant political struggle, providing for themselves and their representatives advantage in the popular assemblies to elect their people to higher ground.Cities of Ancient Greece may have or oligarchic (Sparta) or democratic (Athens).
not always explained solely by the predominance of intrigue: in the policy could be a lot of landowners, farmers or craftsmen and traders.The stronger the figure was displaying a particular social stratum, the more significant was considered the opinion of its representatives at meetings.So, Corinth was the standard trade and craft policy, while Sparta belonged to the agricultural state.Of course, we determined the development of ancient Greece it was the traders in Athens, in contrast to the same Sparta have always been at the center of the political life of the time, constantly braking and holding back the development of its militant opponents.
crisis socio-political arrangement
As the number of slaves and the increasing orientation to labor slaves Greek city-states are transformed into a form of purely slave society.As a result, many private farmers simply go bankrupt, being unable to endure the competition with free slave labor.Antique ownership almost completely degraded and destroyed, policies come in times of crisis.Despite the fact that most of the city experienced its heyday around the V century BC, just 100 years from the beginning of their decline and the massive slide to the commonplace slavery and dictatorship.
Thus, the basic stages of development of ancient Greece do not differ unusual: moving from a primitive tribal system to communities, the Greeks eventually came to a model developed slave society.In general, this is what caused the weakening of their country.
legislation Dragon
One indication of what was happening was "Drakensberg legislation."The name is obviously obtained for extreme cruelty of those rules that it included.However, to date we came mostly just their names.It is known that a dragon has entered the following:
- All residents of the city who could and were capable of bearing arms, they gave all the political and civil rights.
- appoints nine archons.
- Council now elected by citizens of the draw, it could go 401 citizen.
- fully been retained patriarchal social order.
- Any citizen of the debt could now become a slave.
- Everyone is entitled to a blood feud.
- was appointed board of Cosmo and ephebe.
- was legislated stiff property qualifications for admission to the civil service.
These features of the Greek polis remained virtually unchanged in the state, all the subsequent years.
Laws of Solon
Before the reforms of Solon in a society increasingly began to manifest internal contradictions.In the VII century before Christ, all this leads to the open action against the nobility.In addition, the tribal aristocracy strongly interfere in people vybivshimsya representatives of traders and artisans.They wanted to be expected "push" the aristocracy, which greatly hampered the economic development of Greece.
why in 594 BC, is elected chief archon Solon.He tried to avoid the serious social upheavals and therefore retained the nobility of their privileges.In general, the features of the Greek polis largely lies in the fact that the city still tried to take into account the interests of all groups and social strata.
Major reforms
Firstly, the Solon "refinanced" the debts of people who have fallen because of this slavery.All debts were completely canceled.The legislation prohibits the extradition of loans secured by the borrower's served very identity.Repurchased outside the state slaves were returned to their homeland, they restored the civil rights.
Solon divided the citizens in all four categories.By managing state allows only members of the first three (this is the main part of the population policy of ancient Greece), and members of the Areopagus archons could only become citizens of the first class.All people belonging to the fourth category, only had the right to vote at a public meeting.
In addition, as with the Dragon, was elected "Tip four", but it could come only from the people of the first three classes in equal amounts from each social stratum.It was created by a jury, and the jury could have all citizens, regardless of their rank.
Nearly three decades all the innovations of Solon were preserved in full, and then they were partially reformed.
reform Cleisthenes Cleisthenes supported
know in its struggle against the tyrannical rule pizistratidov.Their king Gipy as a result was expelled, tyrannical power - abolished, and the state administration entrusted to Klisfenu.Since his arrival characteristic of Greek policy has undergone significant changes.
At the beginning of the fifth century BC, he carries out reforms aimed at the ultimate elimination of the remnants of the tribal system.It Cleisthenes abolished the division of the citizens into four categories by entering the territorial differentiation.In total there were ten categories (Phil).Each of them was not the usual territorial formation, but always consisted of three others: one-third of the city, a third of the coastal territory, one third of the inner lands of the state.Thus, there is clearly the citizens appeared 2/3 and 1/3 of rural farmers.Tritium ruled demarhi.So it changes the characteristics of the Greek polis.
Instead of "Council of four" was introduced by "The Council of Five Hundred", which consisted of 50 people from each phylum.Archons were abolished, their place was taken by board of strategists.Qualification for employment of higher government positions has been completely preserved.It was the progenitor of Cleisthenes ostracism, "the Court of shards."In its course, any citizen who considered it dangerous to society of the city, could be expelled from the policy for a period of ten years.
hope that the article, you know, what does the bulk of the population policy, the role of the oldest cities in the history of the ancient world.
