Dēmos · Classical Athenian Democracy · a Stoa Publication

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Summary.

Introduction.

Freedom to Speak.

→ Exclusion from the Assembly.

Payment for Participation.

Meeting Places.

Schedule of Meetings.

The Conduct of Meetings.

Checks and Balances.

Voting.

Decrees and Laws.

Election of Officials.

Foreign Policy: Sending Embassies.

Foreign Policy: Receiving Ambassadors.

Foreign Policy: General Issues.

Conferring Rewards.

Complaints about Religious Matters.

Financial Matters.

Military Matters.

Other Matters.

Disorderly Conduct, Corruption, and Manipulation.

The Dangers of Bad Government.

Secondary Works Cited.

Index of Citations

General Index

Demos Home

The Assembly 

Christopher W. Blackwell, edition of March 26, 2003

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· Exclusion from the Assembly ·

Read about the evidence
Demosthenes (Dem. 24).
Demosthenes (Dem. 18).
Aeschines (Aeschin. 1).

Individual citizens could lose the right to participate in the Assembly by committing various offenses (Aeschin. 1.23). Demosthenes mentions legal penalties for people who attend a meeting of the Assembly while owing a debt to the public treasury (Dem. 24.123), or who have been stricken, for some reason or another, from their deme’s register of citizens (Dem. 18.132). Also prohibited from participating were: anyone convicted of prostituting himself (Aeschin. 1.72; Aeschin. 1.21; and Aeschin. 1.32, where the orator adds, “however well he speaks”), anyone who beat his father or mother, or failed to support them, or who threw away his shield in battle, or who squandered his inheritance (Aeschin. 1.28 - Aeschin. 1.30). Any citizen who suspected another of being unqualified to participate in the Assembly could challenge him to dokimasia, or “scrutiny” (δοκιμασία), whereupon the issue would be decided by a jury in a law-court (Aeschin. 1.32).

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