Who could be a citizen of Athens?

Who could be a citizen of Athens?

The Athenian definition of “citizens” was also different from modern-day citizens: only free men were considered citizens in Athens. Women, children, and slaves were not considered citizens and therefore could not vote.

What gender roles were there in Athens?

Ancient Athens was most definitely a male dominated society, and the exclusion of women from politics and civic daily life influenced the areas where women weren’t excluded, such as religion. Women were important to maintaining Athenian society and were especially important in fulfilling religious rituals.

What were the requirements to be a citizen in ancient Greece?

Citizenship Rights After all, not just anyone could walk into Athens and claim to be a citizen. In general, citizens had to be born in that polis. They also had to be free, meaning that slaves were not citizens and, therefore, did not have to be treated as equals. Finally, they had to be males.

Who could be a citizen in Athens and Sparta?

All free Athenian men over 18 years old were considered citizens, and only citizens could hold government positions. Women, children, foreigners, and slaves were not allowed government positions.

Who could not be citizens in Athens?

To be classed as a citizen in fifth-century Athens you had to be male, born from two Athenian parents, over eighteen years old, and complete your military service. Women, slaves, metics and children under the age of 20 were not allowed to become citizens.

Is everyone eligible to serve the city in Athens?

In Athenian democracy, every citizen was required to participate or suffer punishment. This practice stands in stark contrast to modern democratic governments in which citizens can choose whether or not they wish to participate. In Athenian democracy, all citizens pulled their weight.

What are the gender roles in Greece?

Greek society has been traditionally male dominated. There has been quite a masculine ideal of men cast as the strong provider for the family. Many Greek men today continue to feel that it is their responsibility to be the provider and breadwinner for their family, as society is still quite patriarchal.

What were male citizens of ancient Athens expected to do?

Citizens were free men who were born in Athens and had an Athenian-born mother and an Athenian-born father. Only men could be citizens. Citizens were expected to serve in government positions, to vote and to perform military service.

Why is Athens worse than Sparta?

Two of the most famous and influential city-‐states were Sparta and Athens. Sparta is far superior to Athens because their army was fierce and protective, girls received some education and women had more freedom than in other poleis. First, the army of Sparta was the strongest fighting force in Greece.

How did the citizens of Athens and Sparta differ?

The main difference between Athens and Sparta is their government, economy, and society. Athenian society, which was based on trade, valued art and culture and was ruled under a form of democracy. Spartan society, on the other hand, was a militant society whose economy was based on farming and conquering.

Which of the following made all free men in Athens?

Due to this failure, a man named Draco created a new set of harsh laws for Athens. The people of Athens thought Draco’s laws were too strict and in the 590s a man name Solon created new laws that were less harsh. Under Solon’s laws, all free men living in Athens became citizens.

How old did you have to be to be a citizen in Athens?

All free Athenian men over 18 years old were considered citizens, and only citizens could hold government positions. Women, children, foreigners, and slaves were not allowed government positions. What were the responsibilities of citizens in Athens? All Athenian citizens had the right to vote in the Assembly, debate, own land and own slaves.

Why was there no democracy in ancient Athens?

Only people classified as “citizens” could vote in Athens. To be a citizen, you had to be: Many would argue that Athens did not have a true democracy because not everyone could participate.

What was the role of citizenship in ancient Athens?

Citizenship was not dependent on wealth, influence or occupation. All Athenian citizens had the right to vote in the Assembly, debate, own land and own slaves. All Athenian citizens were expected to have military training, be educated, pay their taxes and serve Athens in times of war.

What did the people of ancient Athens have a say in?

The rest of the people of Athens – children, foreigners, slaves, women (80-90% of the population) – had no direct vote in the government. Not quite fair is it? It is not fair, but under the old oligarchy system, only male Athenians that owned land had a say in the government. That was probably well under 10% of the population.