Athenian Democracy: An Experiment for the Ages
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Athenian Democracy: An Experiment for the Ages
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Written by:
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The Great Courses
About this listen
Roughly 2,500 years ago, the Athenian people established a radical democracy in which power derived from the votes of everyday citizens. At a time when local governments ranged from oligarchy to tyranny, the elite classes of Athens gradually ceded power to the inexperienced masses, whose votes served as referendums for everything from taxation to war to welfare. The sequence of events that led to this development is astonishing, and the society that flourished under Athenian democracy is one of the greatest - even if greatly flawed - achievements in world history.
Today, when the foundations of our own democracy are under greater and greater scrutiny, the Athenian experiment in citizen rule offers a powerful object lesson in national politics. How did the Athenian system of democracy work? What were its strengths and weaknesses? And how does it compare to democracy in our world today? Athenian Democracy: An Experiment for the Ages answers these questions and more with 24 captivating lectures. Professor Robert Garland of Colgate University takes us back to ancient Greece and unpacks the development and workings of Athenian democracy. You'll witness the story of history through the lens of Athenian government, going inside the assemblies and courts to find out how democracy worked - and where it came up short.
You may be familiar with the broad strokes of Athenian history, but Professor Garland's unique lens offers a wealth of insights into everything from taxation and welfare to military structure and strategy. Go beyond the traditional "kings and battles" history to gain a sense of what life was like for the people living in the democracy. The heart of Athenian democracy is the "demos", the body of citizens who participated in public assemblies, made speeches, and voted on matters of law. But because only citizens were allowed to vote, Professor Garland also explores Athens through the eyes of women, immigrants, and slaves who could not participate.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2018 The Great Courses (P)2018 The Teaching Company, LLCWhat listeners say about Athenian Democracy: An Experiment for the Ages
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Roberta W
- 2022-10-20
Very good
Filled in more of the gaps in my understanding of Ancient Greece, including how it happened that Socrates was executed.
Balanced perspective on Athenian democracy. A good listen.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- So About That
- 2024-04-23
A strong course on Athenian democracy
The professor does an excellent job bringing much detail into focus to amplify wider themes and systemic characteristics. I did have difficulty adapting to the wet, mouth full of spit, style of speaking. It shows my high regard for the content that I insisted on listening rather than surrendering to my auditory discomfort. I will indeed listen to more by the same professor, because I think his content is excellent and definitely worth learning.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brenda
- 2019-03-17
Fascinating
I am quilting and learning during our winter. Athenian democracy was so interesting with facts told in story form to hold ones attention. Thank you for the treat of learning in compressed yet expansive lecture.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Adrian
- 2019-01-31
As a complete novice,
I have never thought of, nor heard of the term Athenian Democracy. I purchased this book on a whim and because it was on sale. I have also never heard of the Great Courses company or thought of listening to lectures through audible. Despite all of these personal flaws (haha) I throughly enjoyed this book, the teacher/orator is obviously quite passionate and knowledgable about the subject. I felt that I learnt quite a bit about a subject that I was completely ignorant of.
These lectures will definitely encourage you to do further research and read some of the referenced material.
There was also a surprising amount of current political analysis, discussion and comparison to Athenian Democracy. This technique of teaching by comparison was very helpful and also entertaining.
All in all, this was a very nice read/listen for a complete novice.
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1 person found this helpful