The Greeks were politically a well-advanced society. It was very direct; everyone had a vote, majority ruled, end of story. It is a center for economic, political, financial and culture life in Greece. From trading they received wood from Italy, and grain from Egypt. Acropolis is a rocky hill and most of them lived below the rocky hill or Acropolis. Athens was near the sea which was good because it meant they had a good harbor, and that they could trade easily. Facts about Ancient Athens 1: Government Even though the states in ancient Greek had different law and money, they had the similar religions and languages. But it was a long path to get there. They traded with other city-states, and some foreign lands. Athens was fragmented by many different factors: rioting, unrest, and general public disapproval of the government. However, democracy was only one type of government found in ancient Greece. Ancient Greek Government Facts Ancient Greece was the birthplace of democracy, therefore when we think about ancient Greek government what comes to mind is a democratic society. Athens took its name from the goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge. Athens is the capital and the largest city of Greece. Because of this, a series of tyrants came to power, either taking it by force or by the will of the people. Most people today think of democracy as an inherently good thing. The Greeks traded items such as … 2. Here are ten interesting facts about Ancient Athens. Every citizen was a part of the government, no matter what their social standing. Political thinkers and philosophers flourished. The most important cities in ancient Greek were Sparta and Athens… The ancient city of Athens, Greece, had a democratic government. Athens is also the capital city and a centre of politics and tourism. Athens in the 5th to 4th century BCE had an extraordinary system of government: democracy. And as true today, most events would have fallen apart without their organization by women. Athens is the symbol of freedom, art, and democracy in the conscience of the civilized world. To ancient Athenians, "tyrant" did not have the same negative connotations that it does today. Government and Politics of Ancient Athens. Government - Government - Greece: The Phoenician example was followed by the Greeks, originally Indo-European nomads who gradually made their way south to the Aegean and there took to the sea. If you're one of those people, it's remove that silly notion from your brain. Each state had their own money, government and laws in ancient Greek. The concept of the ideal state by the Greek philosopher Plato is a relevant topic of study for the students of political science today. Because, then, the contributions of Athens to our own life are so important, because they touch (as a Greek would say) upon almost every side of "the true, the beautiful, and the good," it is obvious that the outward conditions under which this Athenian genius developed deserve our respectful attention. Why the Social Life of Athens Is So Significant . And this democracy didn't exactly function like any nation you think of today. Even most high government officials were decided by lottery. These women had high status, relative freedom, and remained unmarried. Under this system, all male citizens had equal political rights, freedom of speech, and the opportunity to participate directly in the political arena. Facts about Ancient Athens 1: the states. Ancient Greece had several city-states and each city-state had its own Ancient Greek Political System of government. Athens was the first city-state to have a true and efficient form of democracy. 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