16 



ATHENS. 



Atheiu. fourth class had, what was of more value to them, 

 an equal vote in the public assembly ; in which, from 

 the superiority of their number, they soon bore down 

 all opposition, and became the sovereign people of 

 Athens. They were A-.o entitled to ait on juries, 

 which were very numerous. 



The office of archon still subsisted, and was held 

 in high respect, but without anv political importance 

 attached to it. A certain qualification, not only of 

 fortune, but of birth, was requisite for the attainment 

 of this office. They were nine in number, chosen by 

 lot. The first, and principal, was called J'./iom/mos : 

 He had an extensive judicial authority, to which was 

 added the regulation of the plays and festivals. The 

 second, who was called Basileiis, or king, had the 

 supcrintendance of all religious ceremonies. Origi- 

 nally, throughout all Greece, while the office of king 

 subsisted, this formed part of his prerogative ; and, 

 in consequence of the dislike to innovation in re- 

 ligious matters, even after the office was abolished, 

 the title was still retained for this particular purpose. 

 The third, the Polemarch, had originally the supcr- 

 intendance of military affairs ; but his jurisdiction was 

 afterwards confined to strangers, and the regulation 

 of some festivals. The remaining six were called 

 Thesmothetee : their office was judicial ; and they had 

 the charge of drawing up some reports relative to any 

 proposed legislative changes. See Ahciion. 



Besides this exclusive admission to offices, Solon 

 employed other means of elevating the aristocracy. 

 Of them the Athenian senate was exclusively com- 

 posed. This body consisted originally of four hun- 

 dred ; one hundred from each of the four wards into 

 which Athens was divided : but, when the wards 

 were increased to ten, each of them sent fifty, which 

 raised the number of the senate to five hundred. 

 These members were chosen by lot. Before enter- 

 ing on their office, they underwent a strict examina- 

 tion, which extended to every part of their previous 

 life and conduct ; and a similar scrutiny took place 

 on their leaving office, respecting the manner in which 

 they had conducted themselves in the exercise of it. 

 No proposal for a new law could be made to the as- 

 sembly of the people, without having first passed 

 through their hands. They were bound, however, 

 to receive a proposal from any citizen : nor does it 

 appear that, like the Scottish Lords of Articles, they 

 had any power of withholding such as were disagree- 

 able to them. They met once a day, or oftener. Out 

 of the number of four hundred, fifty were chosen, who 

 were called prytanes, and performed, ten in the week, 

 by turns, the office of presidents. These ten were 

 called proedri, and chose, by lot, an cpistate, or first 

 president. From these the senate-house was called 

 prylaneium. The senate had a considerable superin- 

 tendance over different branches of administration ; 

 but, upon the whole, their political power seems not 

 to have been great, nor do we find their name often 

 mentioned in the course of Athenian history. 



When any law had been digested in the senate, a 

 profrramma, or statement of its nature, was posted 

 up in some public situation. On the day of assem- 

 bly, the rpinlute, or first president} came, accompa- 

 nied by the rest of the pri/tancs, and read the decree 

 of the senate, on which they were to deliberate. He 



s 



then called out, " Who above fifty chooses to speak >" Athens. 

 When these had done, he cried, " Any one not dis- ' - V*" 

 qualified by law might speak." The disqualifications 

 , the having fled from their colours, the being 

 imli bted to the public, or being convicted of some 

 flagitious crime. The vote was given by casting 

 beans, and afterwards p i. The 



assembly met four times in thirty-five days. In the 

 first, they deliberated on the general concerns of the 

 state, and elected magistrates ; in the second, they 

 received appeals from the different courts of justice ; 

 in the third, they gave audience to foreign ambassa- 

 dors ; the fourth was appropriated to the offices of 

 religion. Besides these ordinary assemblies, however, 

 extraordinary ones could be, and were frequently, call- 

 ed by the magistrate*, on any pressing emergency. 



Another counterpoise to the preponderance of the 

 people was provided by Solon, in the court of Areo- 

 pagus, whose power had been considerably reduced 

 by Draco, but which the present legislator restored 

 to all its former privileges. This is the most respect- 

 able court of justice known in ancient times. It 

 consisted of those archons who had filled their office 

 with the greatest credit, and had stood an examina- 

 tion of peculiar strictness. But their high character 

 seems especially to have arisen from the circumstance 

 of having been the first judicial body, which was inde- 

 pendent both of the legislative and executive powers. 

 The members continued during life. They had also 

 an extensive censorial power, and a large share in the 

 management of the treasury. Pericles, with the view 

 of courting the people, abridged very much their 

 power, a change which was by no means advanta- 

 geous to the constitution. See Areopac.i rs. 



Besides regulating the political constitution of 

 Athens, Solon established also a body of laws, which 

 have served as the basis of all subsequent systems of 

 legislation. He mitigated the severity of those of 

 Draco. Like most of the ancient legislators, he en- 

 tered >ieep into the concerns of private life. Strict 

 sumptuary regulations were enacted. The ceremo- 

 nies to be observed, and the dress to be worn, at 

 marriages and funerals, were particularly enumerated. 

 Industry and economy were strictly enforced. No 

 person was allowed to remain in Athens who could 

 not shew the manner in which he obtained his liveli- 

 hood ; the father who had not taught his son a trade, 

 could not claim support from him in his old age ; 

 and he who had wasted his patrimony, was declared 

 incapable of rising to any public honours. Ingrati- 

 tude, opprobrious language, and disobedience to pa- 

 rents, were also subjected to punishment. 



One of the most remarkable laws was that which 

 imposed penalties on those who declined taking part 

 in public dissensions. Solon was aware, that such 

 dissensions must occur in a popular state ; but, on 

 these occasions, the wisest and best men are often dis- 

 posed to withdraw into domestic life, and shun the 

 public tumult. The management of the state would 

 thus fall into the hands of the most ignorant and un- 

 principled. To prevent this evil, it appeared expe- 

 dient to make a regulation which might draw the 

 former class out of the retirement to which they 

 were naturally inclined, and force them to engage in 

 the management of public affairs. 



