Independent Activities Period Course

The main purpose of the course is to explore the emergence, evolution and operation of the Athenian democratic political institutions to the end of the fifth century B.C. Special emphasis will be given on the ancient sources, literary and epigraphical.

The course will start with an introductory part discussing the relevance of the study of 5th c. B.C Athenian democracy to modern societies, and the emergence of the Greek city state (polis) as a fundamental institution of Greek civilisation.

The course will then focus on political and constitutional developments in Athens which led to the so called Golden Age of Periclean Athens up to the end of the 5th c. B.C. when Athenian democracy went through difficult times. Students with no grasp of the broader historical background will
improve their knowledge with selected readings.

The aim of the course is twofold:
• First, it is meant to familiarize the
students with the history of Athenian democracy by means of an overview of the ancient sources and the secondary bibliography.
• Secondly, the course will address central questions raised in contemporary scholarly debate such as:

- Why is the study of Classical Greek antiquity relevant to the study of modern western-type societies? (Is there a continuity between ancient and modern western type democracies? Is it possible to set a clear point for the beginning of ancient Athenian democracy ?).

- How can a particular political or social institution or practice be characterized as democratic? (How important was the recording and public display of state legislation in the Archaic period? How important is the articulation of a democratic ideology? When was a democratic ideology first formed in ancient Athens?)

- Was ancient Athenian democracy (and, by analogy, modern western-type democracies) a continuous evolution in which vast impersonal forces played the predominant role, or was it primarily the outcome of particular actions of specific individuals?

- What were the strengths and shortcomings of fifth century Athenian democratic ideology and practice? (Why did the Peloponnesian War have such a destructive impact on the democratic institutional framework? How, in general, does war affect the stability of the constitutions of states?)

- Why is it important to visit and spend time as a student in Greece?
1) experience first hand the physical remains of Greek antiquity in their living context
2) observe the various consecutive historical periods from Neolithic to the present day as reflected in the remaining monuments, architecture, language, social practices and way of life
3) become familiar with the modern Greek culture which is an idiosyncratic mixture encompassing
- ideas and practices of the past,
- ambitions for political and economic assimilation with western Europe and the western world in general,
- a long standing exposure to, familiarity with eastern culture and traditions
4) learn how knowledge of Greek culture can directly contribute to a successful international working career