Building Democracy in Late Archaic Athens

The passage of a series of reforms in 508/7 B.C.E. led to the world's first democracy in Athens. This book investigates the built environment of ancient Athens during this time, focusing on monumental architecture and how it facilitated the functioning of the nascent political regime. It highlights the importance of the material record in understanding the creation of a new democratic Athenian identity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 29 March 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

After years of turmoil and uncertainty, the city of Athens experienced a momentous event in 508/7 B.C.E.: the implementation of a series of reforms that gave rise to what is widely recognized as the world's first democracy. Exactly how the Athenians achieved this remains a fundamental question 2,500 years later. The outcomes of these reforms fundamentally altered the essence of what it meant to be an Athenian, and their far-reaching consequences would leave an indelible mark on nearly every aspect of society, including the structures where they worshiped and engaged in legislative debates. By examining the built environment broadly, and monumental architecture specifically, this book delves into the built environment of ancient Athens during the late Archaic period (ca. 514/13 - 480/79 B.C.E.). It was during these decades characterized by transition and disorder that the Athenians transitioned their political system from tyranny to democracy. Simultaneously, they reshaped the physical landscape and embarked on the monumental articulation of the city and countryside. By approaching the questions and problems of the early political system through the lens of buildings, this book seeks to understand the nature of the fledgling democracy from a material standpoint. The focus on monumental structures erected during this particular time period highlights how the built environment facilitated the functioning of the nascent political regime. While Athenian democracy has been extensively studied, there has been limited attention paid to the intersection between built structures and the political system during its earliest phases. This book aims to rectify that by drawing attention to a pivotal period of Athenian political history through the study of the built environment.

Weight: 526g
Dimension: 234 x 158 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197685204