Greek Values Vs. Roman Foundations: a Western Contrast

What Did the Greeks Value: Democracy and Citizenship in Golden Age Athens

The Greek city-states and the Roman Republic both played a role in influencing Western Civilization. Although both were important, each had different political and social values that guided their way of life.

Around the 460s, Golden Age Athens started to develop a radical democracy in which citizens (adult males) had direct power. This form of government was ultimately created by Pericles, a politician who wanted political and judicial power to reside in Athenian citizens.

The Greek city-state’s government included “the assembly, the Council of Five Hundred chosen annually by lottery, the Council of the Areopagus of ex-archons serving for life, an executive board of the generals elected annually, nine archons, hundreds of other annual minor officials, and the court system” (Hunt 83).

Rules were based on a majority vote in Athenian society; therefore, male citizens had all the power. There was equality to some extent; all elite male and poor male citizens could vote, but women could not. Citizenship was also limited- to be a citizen in Athens, both parents had to be Athenian by birth. This law was enforced by Pericles. Another influential person in changing Athens’ judicial system was Ephialtes. Originally the high officials in the city-state (archons) had authority over legal cases, but in an attempt to make government more democratic, Ephialtes got the assembly to “establish a new system that took away jurisdiction from the archons and gave it to the courts manned by citizen jurors” (Hunt 84). These jurors were selected randomly in a lottery selection. In this way, there was more equality among male citizens, making the system more democratic.

Materialism, Religion, and Gender: Unpacking Athenian Values of the Classical Age

During the Classical Age, Athens had strong values that resulted from winning the Persian Wars. For example, they valued materialistic things, such as buildings, which portrayed their confidence and status. The Parthenon, a temple built during the Classical Age, is an important landmark that displays the values of Athenian society. The Parthenon was built to be huge and to have a unique style, which revealed “the self-confidence of Golden Age Athens and its competitive drive to build a monument more spectacular than any other in Greece” (Hunt 86). This temple was built to prove to everyone how powerful Athens was, which shows that they believed material and wealth equated to power. They also equated their success with the gods being on their side. Buildings such as the Parthenon were also made in devotion to the gods to show their fidelity, which shows they value religion. As mentioned before, during the Golden Age, Athenian women did not have a public role in government, and they also did not have a public role in religious ceremonies.

Their movement was limited to “protect them from seducers and rapists” (Hunt 91). Women’s roles usually depended on their class and on their husbands. Also, if they could have children with their husbands, they were seen as valuable. If the woman conceived a boy, they were seen as even more valuable because they wanted sons to inherit the father’s property to keep the wealth in the bloodline. Athenian men could buy sex, usually from hetairas, enforcing the view of women as property. Athenians had many traditional values that were questioned during the Golden Age. For example, Sophists and Socrates challenged everything that Athenians knew to be true. But since most Athenians held firmly to their traditional views and values, a law was passed that allowed citizens to convict and expel anyone who “failed to respect divine things or teach theories about the cosmos” (Hunt 96).

From Republic to Empire: The Evolution of Roman Governance and Values

In contrast to the Greek city-state, Rome created a republic. The kings’ violence during the eighth to the sixth century B.C.E. angered the social elite, motivating them to overthrow the kings and move from an oligarchy to a republic. In this form of government, male citizens shared political power by electing officials. The Roman population was split into the patricians and the plebeians, and they struggled for power until 287 B.C.E. when the plebians could form their own assembly. From 451 and 449 B.C.E., the Twelve Tables were enforced to ensure more equality.

As mentioned in the book, “the Roman belief in fair laws as the best protection against social strife helped keep the republic united” (Hunt 154). Male citizens got together to vote on officials. The highest officials were the consuls, which were chosen every year. To be a consul was not easy in the Roman Republic; it required that a man had to win elections of quaestor, aedile, and praetor- only then could praetors run for a spot to be one of two consuls. The Roman Republic also had a senate, which advised consuls, and three assemblies. The assemblies include The Centuriate Assembly, The Plebeian Assembly, and The Tribal Assembly. This way, no one assembly had all the power, and “Rome had no single highest court” (Hunt 156).

The values during the Roman Republic started off as “traditional Roman values of faithfulness and honesty,” but as more territories were conquered, the Romans became power and money-motivated (Hunt 157). They no longer wished for respect. However, the more territories that were conquered, the more diverse the Romans became.

References:

1. Hunt, A. B. (2020). Foundations of Western Civilization: Greek and Roman Legacies. Ancient Civilizations Press.

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