When was democracy destroyed in Athens?

Answer 1

I assume the real question is how long did Democracy last in Rome.

The short answer: What we call the "Republic of Rome" was founded c. 509 BC and lasted 482 years. (Beginning in 27 B.C., through a series of civil wars, it was subverted into a Principate then into a Dominate.)

The real answer: To accurately and completely answer the question you have to define Democracy, Republic and Democratic Republic. The three are frequently incorrectly used interchangeably in the vernacular. For example, the U.S. calls itself a Democracy but citizens "swear allegiance to the flag and to the Republic for which it stands".

In a Republic, power lies within a charter; in a Democracy, power lies within the rule of the majority; in a Democratic Republic, government is founded on a charter, but lead by officials elected by the majority. For example, the U.S. was founded as a Democratic Republic (which has subsequently been subverted, since, while governing bodies are elected by the majority, policy is increasingly shaped by powerful, unelected special interest groups).

Although it was founded as such, Rome was never a trueDemocratic Republic. Early on it was controlled mainly by the Patricians (nobles). The closest Rome came to being a true Democratic Republic was later when it was controlled by two bodies: one made up of Patricians, and the other of Plebeians (poorer citizens).

Even at it's closest approximation of a Democratic Republic Rome was never a true Democratic Republicbecause the controlling body made up of Patricians was not elected by the majority.

Answer 2

It began with the Cleisthenes reforms of 508 BCE in Athens and spread to other cities. It had mixed success, culminating in a radical democracy in Athens in the second half of the 5th Century BCE, but after its failures leading to Athens' defeat in the Peloponnesian War, by 400 BCE it reverted to a variety of limited democracies, tyrannies, oligarchies and monarchies. The problem was that these were direct democracies where the citizens voted in fortnightly assemblies and the councils implemented their decisions. In the assemblies the people were too prone to be swayed by clever orators into rash decisions, and it had to fail.

Modern democracies are representative, with members of parliament insulated from daily pressures and impulses.

Answer 3

it started with solon's work in 594 B.C., but wasn't a complete democracy until pericles in 464 B.C. and lasted until the war with sparta in 322B.C.

Answer 4

When darth vader jabbed his light saber up their butt