democratic reforms (jan 1, 463 BC – jan 1, 460 BC)

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MORE REFORMS BY EPHIALTES WHILST CIMON IS AWAY (on 464 Spartan helot revolt assistance)

"taking advantage of Cimon's absence in Messenia, he introduced a series of laws which deprived the ancient council of all its powers that had any political significance. Its right to punish the public ministers and officers if they violated the laws, and its duties of supervising the administration and seeing that the laws were obeyed, were taken away and transferred to the people… In the people's courts the verdict no longer rested with the magistrate but with a majority of the jurors.” -- Bury and Meiggs

suspicions of Sparta raised, Cimon is ostracised in 461

"the man who had the most recorded against him name was proclaimed to be exiled for 20 years" - Plutarch (on ostracism)

EPHIALTES + PERICLES DEMOCRATIC REFORMS FROM 461

"the reforms created to weaken Areopagus by Ephialtes before his assasination were not as significant as they seem" - Sealey

"Important constitutional changes are not necessarily the result of specific enactments designed to bring them about" - Sealey

weakening of the Aeropagus (ephialtes did this)
- Ended the right of the Areopagus to punish public officials if they broke the law
- Ended the Areopagus’ right to supervise government administration and ensure laws were obeyed
- Ended the right of the Areopagus to investigate officials at the end of their office term

Former powers of the Areopagus were now transferred to the boule, ecclesia and the Heliaea court

--- EPHIALTIES MURDERED --------------------

Pericles takes over: issues payment for public services
"as a result of thisthat courts deteriorated, since it was always the ordinary people rather than the better sort who were eager to be picked for jury service" - Aristotle

From 458/7 BC onwards, prestige of the archons were further reduced.
Members of the third social class (Zeugitae) could now be archons → later on even Thetes could obtain office.

Office of Archon became a paid post → any citizen could become one
Archons were all eventually chosen by lots → preliminary elections of candidates abolished

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