Government - Government - Greece: The Phoenician example was followed by the Greeks, originally Indo-European nomads who gradually made their way south to the Aegean and there took to the sea. Athens is known as the birthplace of democracy. Athens in the 5th to 4th century BCE had an extraordinary system of government: democracy. In 508 B.C., Athens became one of the first societies in ancient times to establish democracy. Athens was the first city-state to have a true and efficient form of democracy. And as true today, most events would have fallen apart without their organization by women. These women had high status, relative freedom, and remained unmarried. The most important cities in ancient Greek were Sparta and Athens… Under this system, all male citizens had equal political rights, freedom of speech, and the opportunity to participate directly in the political arena. Ancient Greece had several city-states and each city-state had its own Ancient Greek Political System of government. Even though the states in ancient Greek had different law and money, they had the similar religions and languages. Because of this, a series of tyrants came to power, either taking it by force or by the will of the people. Political thinkers and philosophers flourished. Athens is also the capital city and a centre of politics and tourism. And this democracy didn't exactly function like any nation you think of today. It was known as a beautiful public buildings, public bath, shops, and busy city. It is a center for economic, political, financial and culture life in Greece. From trading they received wood from Italy, and grain from Egypt. Athens was near the sea which was good because it meant they had a good harbor, and that they could trade easily. To ancient Athenians, "tyrant" did not have the same negative connotations that it does today. However, democracy was only one type of government found in ancient Greece. The ancient city of Athens, Greece, had a democratic government. Athens took its name from the goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge. They traded with other city-states, and some foreign lands. Acropolis is a rocky hill and most of them lived below the rocky hill or Acropolis. The one exception to the classes of women were the priestesses. But it was a long path to get there. Even most high government officials were decided by lottery. The Greeks traded items such as … Athens was fragmented by many different factors: rioting, unrest, and general public disapproval of the government. Why the Social Life of Athens Is So Significant . The concept of the ideal state by the Greek philosopher Plato is a relevant topic of study for the students of political science today. Each state had their own money, government and laws in ancient Greek. 2. Most people today think of democracy as an inherently good thing. Facts about Ancient Athens 1: Government Athens is the symbol of freedom, art, and democracy in the conscience of the civilized world. Every citizen was a part of the government, no matter what their social standing. Athens is the capital and the largest city of Greece. If you're one of those people, it's remove that silly notion from your brain. Government and Politics of Ancient Athens. It was very direct; everyone had a vote, majority ruled, end of story. Here are ten interesting facts about Ancient Athens. Priestesses were necessary to conduct and organize the over 100 annual religious events that occurred yearly in Athens. Its democracy was "the rule of the mob," and historians consider the Athenians as the developers of democracy. The Greeks were politically a well-advanced society. Facts about Ancient Athens 1: the states. 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