Athenian democracy

Plato’s “Apology” examines the trial of a great philosopher named Socrates. He is brought to court because of corrupting the youth and not believing in Gods. In response against his accusers, Socrates maintains that being sentenced to death is a possibility. While others fear death, as it is an evil; he does not fear it as he views death positively. According to Socrates, death is an advantage. His spiritual sign suggests this idea as well. Throughout his defense, Socrates has consistent idea…

the behalf of the poets, Anytus, speaking for the craftsmen and politicians, and Lycon, speaking for the rhetoricians/orators. I believe these men slandered Socrates’s name by accusing him of corrupting the youth of Athens and not believing in Athenians Gods, but his own. Based on my reading of Plato’s Apology, I argue that Socrates is innocent of these accusations and should not have died in the name of them, but even in death, Socrates voice has become stronger…

Pythagoras was the original philosopher, and is rightly seen as the father of the greatest of the ancient thinkers as his ideas and discoveries brought light and understanding to a world of darkness and ignorance. In the late 500s BC, Pythagoras, a man who would be destined to influence and change both the ancient and modern world, was born in the Greek city of Samos(Douglass). Being raised in a wealthy family, Pythagoras grew up surrounded by different forms of education that varied from music…

more politically-centered as well as praises for Athens. While he had decent military tactics, he was opinionated, which shows through in his famous speech. Based on Pericles’s opinions about use of wealth, class equality, and gender distinction in Athenian history, it can be proven that he was bending the truth in his famous funeral oration speech. Following the Peloponnesian war, in Pericles’s funeral oration he was obviously lying about Athens’ use of wealth. “Wealth we employ more for use…

Pericles was an influential greek statesman, public speaker, and general of athens during the golden age. Pericles as a child was very quiet and introverted and devoted most of his time to his studies . He also received an exceptional education in music from Damon and math in under theoretical physicist Zeno of Elea. Pericle’s Legacy also included many achievements. Pericles was an introvert and took his studies very seriously. He was born around 493 BC into a rich aristocratic family. Pericles…

These two reasons that officiated the end of democracy might seem entirely separate. However, democracy in both cities had already been on a path of decline long before the democracy was written off as “dead” events, and the reasons for this gradual decline might not be so dissimilar after all. Both Athens and Rome tried to better the lives of their poorer citizens…

Nicias and the Importance of Persuasive Leadership How did Nicias fail to convince the Athenian assembly that the Sicilian Expedition was a strategic error? His arguments, while valid and logical, are not sufficient to win over the assembly to undo their vote of war. Not only does Thucydides have incomplete information about these events, but Thucydides’ prior knowledge of Nicias’s failure colors the way he reconstructs Nicias’s ineffective arguments against war. Nicias attempts to dissuade the…

over Macedonia, Peloponnese, Greece, Persian, and all of the known world at the time. It was a beautiful tactic as these men did not share the same background not did these men share the same ancestors. Pericles had a very specific history of the Athenian city-state. This speech was also quite impressive because he was addressing the people of Athens specifically so it was intelligent to focus on their specific history. These two men beautifully crafted speeches that catered to their people,…

How can you determine one great polis more important from another? In the late fourth century, Athenian philosophers began to immerge bringing with them the idea of educating “the whole person. Sparta, on the other hand, still only focused on education for the military. Along with Sparta only concern being the military, they also do not have a steady economy. Athens, however, was very steady regarding economics. Also, in Athens, we see a happy and enjoyable social environment. Around the 4th…

Melian Dialogue DBQ Rough Draft Claim Statement: The Melian Dialogue teaches the reader that, in 416 BCE, Athens’ foreign policy and actions were strongly informed by the Athenian belief and focus on realism, preserving the law of nature, and the natural order of events. In 416 BCE, Athens’ belief, policy, and ideal of realism is evident through their preference for knowledge-based spiritual faith and rejection of the metaphysical. The Melian Dialogue, recorded by Thucydides in 416 BCE,…