Ephialtes, Themistokles, And Pericles In Constitution Of Athens

Athenian Democracy Reformation

In “Constitution of Athens,” Chapters 23-29, Aristotle relates the roles of Ephialtes, Themistokles and Pericles in the reformation of the Areopagus and democracy during the fifth century BCE. The reforms initiated by these men shaped democracy in Athens and greatly influenced democracy as we now know it.

The Areopagus was the ruling body of Athens in pre-classical times, which consisted of a council of aristocratic Athenian elders who had previously held the position of Archon. In 594 BCE, Solon made the first reformations to the Areopagus by changing the way Archons were appointed, limiting their term and abolishing all debts (Blackwell, “The Council of the Areopagus”). His reformations freed many from

Ephialtes became the champion of the people, and in 462 BCE, along with his supporters, denounced the Areopagus before the Council and Assembly (Blackwell, “The History of the Council”.) According to Aristotle, Themistokles aided Ephialtes in his reforms, but the validity of his involvement is unlikely. While Aristotle tells how Themistokles conspired to enact revenge upon the Areopagus by tricking Ephialtes into denouncing it, the story is questionable. The Areopagus ostracized Themistokles in the late 470’s or early 460’s (Lewis, 358,) and he could not have been in Athens at that

In 451 BCE, a growing population prompted Pericles to introduce and pass the proposal wherein citizenship should only be granted to a person whose parents were both citizens (AP, 26.4.) While Pericles never served as an Archon, he served as a popular stategos and won the ear of the people. Pericles enacted many measures popular with the public; he provided for allotments of lands to Athenian citizens that once belonged to those conquered and subjected by Athens, provided public funds for the people to attend the theater, and introduced payment for serving on a jury. Pericles’ policies arose in response to the generosity of his rival, Cimon, who gained popularity by using his wealth to regularly feed the poor in his deme and by opening his orchards for them to pick fruit (Plutarch, Cimon 9.) In response, Pericles created projects paid with public funds for the improvement and the glory of Athens, including the building of the Parthenon, which employed many citizens and tradesmen (Plutarch, Pericles 12.) In 463 BCE, Pericles charged Cimon with being pro-Spartan, and Cimon was ostracized (Plutarch, Pericles 9.) His rival gone, Pericles united the parties and became the leader and champion for democracy in Athens (Plutarch, Pericles15) and gained an even greater influence. Pericles was instrumental not only in the direction of democracy within Athens, but the direction of all aspects