Government
There was not one form of government for all of Greece. There were many kinds of government because their were various city-states, and each had its own government. In addition, people's ideas about what a good government consisted of changed over time. The two most important city-states were Athens and Sparta, and they had different forms of government. Aristotle, a famous Greek philosopher, divided Greek governments into the following categories:
Most city-states in Ancient Greece began by having monarchies, then oligarchies, then tyrannies and then democracies. Even then, there were always city-states using a different system, and many that never became democracies or tyrannies.
In the Late Bronze Age ( shown as 2000 and 1200 BC above) all Greek city-states seemed to be monarchies. This means they were ruled by a King. But after the Dark Age, few Greek city-states still had kings (Sparta is the most famous of these, though it actually had two kings). Many of the city-states in the Archaic period were ruled by aristocrats who had oligarchies. This is a group of wealthy men who tell everyone else what to do. Then in the 600s and 500s BC many city-states were taken over by tyrants. Tyrants were often one of the wealthy men who gained power over the others by getting support from poor people. Tyrants ruled similar to kings, but did not have any legal right to rule.Then in 500 BC, Athens was the first polis to have a democracy, and then other Greek city-states did the same. In Athens, they had an assembly where citizens met to discuss and vote, which was sometimes held in the agora. But Athenian democracy was different from democracy now because it did not really give power to everyone. Most of the people in Athens were not allowed to vote - not women, slaves, or foreigners.
- monarchies
- oligarchies
- tyrannies
- democracies
Most city-states in Ancient Greece began by having monarchies, then oligarchies, then tyrannies and then democracies. Even then, there were always city-states using a different system, and many that never became democracies or tyrannies.
In the Late Bronze Age ( shown as 2000 and 1200 BC above) all Greek city-states seemed to be monarchies. This means they were ruled by a King. But after the Dark Age, few Greek city-states still had kings (Sparta is the most famous of these, though it actually had two kings). Many of the city-states in the Archaic period were ruled by aristocrats who had oligarchies. This is a group of wealthy men who tell everyone else what to do. Then in the 600s and 500s BC many city-states were taken over by tyrants. Tyrants were often one of the wealthy men who gained power over the others by getting support from poor people. Tyrants ruled similar to kings, but did not have any legal right to rule.Then in 500 BC, Athens was the first polis to have a democracy, and then other Greek city-states did the same. In Athens, they had an assembly where citizens met to discuss and vote, which was sometimes held in the agora. But Athenian democracy was different from democracy now because it did not really give power to everyone. Most of the people in Athens were not allowed to vote - not women, slaves, or foreigners.