Their government was messed up
The people of Athens voted against Socrates because they believed his philosophical teachings were undermining traditional values and corrupting the youth. Socrates' questioning and challenging of societal norms and beliefs made him appear subversive to the Athenian authorities. Additionally, his close association with individuals who were later involved in a coup plot against the city-state further fueled suspicion and led to his trial and conviction.
Socrates was 70 years old and familiar to most Athenians. His anti-democratic views had turned many in the city against him. Two of his students, Alcibiades and Critias, had twice briefly overthrown the democratic government of the city, instituting a reign of terror in which thousands of citizens were deprived of their property and either banished from the city or executed. On a day in 399 BC the philosopher Socrates stood before a jury of 500 of his fellow Athenians accused of "refusing to recognize the gods recognized by the state" and "of corrupting the youth." If found guilty; his penalty could be death. The trial took place in the heart of the city, the jurors seated on wooden benches surrounded by a crowd of spectators. Socrates' accusers (three Athenian citizens) were allotted three hours to present their case, after which, the philosopher would have three hours to defend himself. After hearing the arguments of both Socrates and his accusers, the jury was asked to vote on his guilt. Under Athenian law the jurors did not deliberate the point. Instead, each juror registered his judgment by placing a small disk into an urn marked either "guilty" or "not guilty." Socrates was found guilty by a vote of 280 to 220. The philosopher was taken to the near-by jail where his sentence would be carried out. Athenian law prescribed death by drinking a cup of poison hemlock. Socrates would be his own executioner.
Socrates was poisoned for his anti-democratic views of society. On a day in 399 BC the philosopher Socrates stood before a jury of 500 of his fellow Athenians accused of "refusing to recognize the gods recognized by the state" and of "corrupting the youth." The jurors later found him guilty by a vote of 280 vs 220. They also voted that his penalty should be death, by drinking a cup of poison hemlock. In the end, he was killed for his beliefs, while his peers wept along side him as they watched him die.
The jury in Athens voted to execute Socrates by a margin of 280 to 220, finding him guilty of corrupting the youth and impiety. He was given the opportunity to suggest an alternate punishment but chose to stick by his principles and opted not to propose a different penalty, leading to his eventual death by drinking poison hemlock.
Refuse to vote in elections
Court cases were decided by huge juries containing hundreds of jurors, as in the case of Socrates. Citizens were chosen by lot to sit on juries. Only property owning males over twenty-one were considered citizens.
The Athenians had a direct democracy. This meant that all Athenian citizens were able to vote on new legislation and laws.
They met at the Agora
The people of Athens voted against Socrates because they believed his philosophical teachings were undermining traditional values and corrupting the youth. Socrates' questioning and challenging of societal norms and beliefs made him appear subversive to the Athenian authorities. Additionally, his close association with individuals who were later involved in a coup plot against the city-state further fueled suspicion and led to his trial and conviction.
Because a vote from the towns idiot has the same weight as a vote from Socrates.
Athenians in the bouleteerion where the boule (composed of 500 male citizens) raises hands to vote on laws.
Socrates was 70 years old and familiar to most Athenians. His anti-democratic views had turned many in the city against him. Two of his students, Alcibiades and Critias, had twice briefly overthrown the democratic government of the city, instituting a reign of terror in which thousands of citizens were deprived of their property and either banished from the city or executed. On a day in 399 BC the philosopher Socrates stood before a jury of 500 of his fellow Athenians accused of "refusing to recognize the gods recognized by the state" and "of corrupting the youth." If found guilty; his penalty could be death. The trial took place in the heart of the city, the jurors seated on wooden benches surrounded by a crowd of spectators. Socrates' accusers (three Athenian citizens) were allotted three hours to present their case, after which, the philosopher would have three hours to defend himself. After hearing the arguments of both Socrates and his accusers, the jury was asked to vote on his guilt. Under Athenian law the jurors did not deliberate the point. Instead, each juror registered his judgment by placing a small disk into an urn marked either "guilty" or "not guilty." Socrates was found guilty by a vote of 280 to 220. The philosopher was taken to the near-by jail where his sentence would be carried out. Athenian law prescribed death by drinking a cup of poison hemlock. Socrates would be his own executioner.
They voted by writing their vote on a broken piece of pottery, which officials collected and tallied
The Athenians developed a Democracy where only certain classes of people could vote.
They would have considered democracy the hallmark of their civilization, but they would not have defined democracy the same way that people do today. For example, the idea that all people should be allowed to vote would have seemed preposterous to Athenians, who believed that only landed men should be allowed to vote.
The Athenians, at the time, had a democratic government, meaning that they were governed by the vote of the people. In 499 BC, the Ionian Revolt began, wherein several cities in the Persian Empire rebelled against Persian rule to become democratic. The Athenians, being democratic themselves, supported the rebels. Ultimately, Persian won and retained control of the rebel territory, but they then attacked Greece because the Greeks had supported the rebellion against them.
Abstain means not to do. In this case not to vote.