Political Changes In Ancient Greece

Following Greek’s “Dark Age,” the Archaic Age (circa 800-500 B.C.E.) led to important political changes for the region, with the most important one being the development of the city-state called a polis (plural poleis). While there were a number of developments during the Archaic Age, perhaps the most valuable lessons that can be drawn from Greek civilization and from the formation and evolution of the Greek poleis.

“With the Polis, the Greeks established a new type of political structure” (McKay 119) where poleis with it’s own distinctive system of government. While the Poleis were not the first forms of city-states to emerge, they were more than a political institution. Communities of citizens with their own customs and laws and after 800

B.C.E., were also self-governing. While each Polis varied by location, they were relatively small and “reflected the fragmented geography of Greece” (McKay 119) and allowed individuals to see how they fit into their communities and contributed to the social whole. Each Polis also included the surrounding countryside, which was essential in providing food to support the economy of the polis. Most people lived within the polis itself and would travel to the fields where they would work, and return to their homes at night. Other features of the polis included the acropolis (an elevated location for temples, alters, etc.) and a public square or marketplace called the agora where shops, porticos, public buildings, and courts were located. Each polis (with one exception) counted on its citizens for protection rather than having a standing army.
Sparta and Athens were two particular poleis that rose to distinctive prominence in the Greek mainland.

Sparta became the leading military power within Greece and expanded their territory by conquering Messenia, after which they turned the conquered Messenians into helots (unfree residents who were forced to work the lands of the state), until they rose up in a rebellion, which spurred significant political change for Sparta. All citizens were made legally equal, and Sparta was led by two kings fulfilled the role of military leaders, a council of nobles, and five ephors who were elected by the citizens. The Helots continued to work the land, while Spartan citizens devoted themselves to military training that began at the age of 7. Athens also faced important changes at the time, but reacted much differently than Sparta. The Athenians created a democracy. In 621 B.C.E., Draco published the first law code of the Athenian polis. The code was harsh, but “embodied the idea that the law belonged to all citizens” (McKay, 122) and soon led to reformations more in favor of the common people of Athens, and allowed common citizens to both participate and vote on issues within the government and encouraged all full citizens to participate within the

government.
While the Archaic Age may be over, the valuable lessons that can be drawn from Greek civilization and from the formation and evolution of the Greek poleis can still be seen today in many major modern governments and their political systems (including our democratic government in the United States).