Classical Societies

Classical Societies

Classical Societies
Hum/205
May 8, 2011
University of Phoenix

The time period of Classical Greece was is a time of Greece when it transitioned itself from the previous period of time in which Greece was considered to be in an archaic state of existence.   In regards to the transitional time of Greek culture (mostly political structuring), there were four individuals that played significant roles in this revolutionary transition which included Draco, Solon, Pisistratos, and Cleisthenes (Benton and DiYanni, 2008).   Draco, who was considered the benevolent ruler, published what is considered to be the first code of laws in Athens, somewhere around the time of 621 B.C.E (Benton and DiYanni, 2008).   For individuals of all societal classes, from the aristocrats to the poor farmers to the growing commercial class, this single standard of justice of Draco’s brought justice to all Athenians (Benton and DiYanni, 2008).   In relation to this new political reform, the civil administration of Athens was also reformed around the time of 640 through 558 B.C.E. on behalf of Solon whereas this divided the citizens into four classes and gave all of them the rights to participate in debates in the political assembly (Benton and DiYanni, 2008).   Contributions regarding Solon also included jury duty becoming a civic responsibility which allowed lower classes to sit in on these juries, promoted trade being mostly in pottery, employed numerous artisans, and ended debt slavery (Benton and DiYanni, 2008).   Pisisratos’ contribution to Greece’s classical period was his redistributing of large estates of some nobility to farmers who had no land which resulted in their improved economic status including their new found ability to vote.   Cleisthenes’ contribution was representing what he considered the ten “tribes” of Athens by dividing it into demes which is considered as neighborhoods which later resulted in the development of the first democracy and he also encouraged the development...