The Cynicism ( philosophy ) | Cynic philosopher Diogenes of Sinope | Diogenes, pictured by Jean-Léon Gérôme | Gérôme with the large jar in which he lived ; when strangers at the inn were expressing their wish to catch sight of the great orator Demosthenes, Diogenes is said to have stuck out his middle finger and exclaimed " this, for you, is the Demagogue # History and definition of the word | demagogue of the Classical Athens | Athenians "

Classical Greek and Roman cultures also developed calendars ; the ancient Athenians, for one, had a lunisolar calendar that lasted 364 days, with an intercalary month added every other year.

The Constitution of the Athenians ( or Athenaion Politeia, or The Athenian constitution ) is the name of either of two texts from Classical antiquity, one probably by Aristotle or a student of his, the other attributed to Xenophon, but not by him.

The age limit, the same as that for office holders but ten years older than that required for participation in the assembly, gave the courts a certain standing in relation to the assembly ; for the Athenians of the court were not only older, but were wiser, too.

It seems that the story of the Golden Fleece had little resonance for Athenians of the Classic age, for only two representations on Attic painted wares of the fifth century have been identified, a krater at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a kylix in the Vatican collections.

Wanting in quickness of apprehension and natural grace he compensated by persevering and thorough-going industry, pure benevolence, purity of morals, unselfishness, and a moral earnestness, which compelled esteem and trust even from the Athenians of his own age.

Cleverly, he called on all Athenians under the age of 60 years to enroll.

The great spectacle was a source of rancor, and Son et Lumiere, which the French were trying to promote with the Athenians, was the reason.

The Acropolis had been scheduled for the treatment too, but apparently it was to take place at the time of the full moon when the Athenians themselves, out of respect for the natural beauty of the occasion, were wont to forgo their own usual nocturnal illumination.

After a first unsuccessful attempt at colonisation in 497 BC by the Milesian Tyrant Histiaeus, the Athenians founded a first colony at Ennea-Hodoi (‘ Nine Ways ’) in 465, but these first ten thousand colonists were massacred by the Thracians.

Hipparchus, brother of the tyrant Hippias, was killed by Harmodius and Aristogeiton, who were subsequently honored by the Athenians for their alleged restoration of Athenian freedom.

Also excluded from voting were citizens whose rights were under suspension ( typically for failure to pay a debt to the city: see atimia ); for some Athenians this amounted to permanent ( and in fact inheritable ) disqualification.

Constitution of the Athenians, 4th century BCThere were three political bodies where citizens gathered in numbers running into the hundreds or thousands.

Many Athenians prominent earlier in the century would have lost citizenship, had this law applied to them: Cleisthenes, the founder of democracy, had a non-Athenian mother, and the mothers of Cimon and Themistocles were not Greek at all, but Thracian.

Aeschylus's work was so respected by the Athenians, that after his death his were the only tragedies allowed to be restaged in subsequent competitions.

Xanthippus, the Athenian commander at Mycale, had furiously rejected this ; the Ionian cities were originally Athenian colonies, and the Athenians, if no-one else, would protect the Ionians.

Of all the causes of defection, that connected with arrears of tribute and vessels, and with failure of service, was the chief ; for the Athenians were very severe and exacting, and made themselves offensive by applying the screw of necessity to men who were not used to and in fact not disposed for any continuous labor.

In some other respects the Athenians were not the old popular rulers they had been at first ; and if they had more than their fair share of service, it was correspondingly easy for them to reduce any that tried to leave the confederacy.

The Melians were offered a choice to join the Athenians, or be conquered.

The Athenians were preparing to make reprisals, in spite of the advice of the Delphic oracle that they should desist from attacking Aegina for thirty years, and content themselves meanwhile with dedicating a precinct to Aeacus, when their projects were interrupted by the Spartan intrigues for the restoration of Hippias.

Herodotus had no Athenian victories to record after the initial success, and the fact that Themistocles was able to carry his proposal to devote the surplus funds of the state to the building of so large a fleet seems to imply that the Athenians were themselves convinced that a supreme effort was necessary.

The number of the Athenians at that time exceeded 6000, the Albanians from the villages of Attica excluded, whilst in 1674 the population of Aegina did not seem to exceed 3000 inhabitants, 2 / 3 of which were women.

In 1693 Morosini resumed command, but his only acts were to refortify the castle of Aegina, which he had demolished during the Cretan war in 1655, the cost of upkeep being paid as long as the war lasted, by the Athenians, and to place it and Salamis under Malipiero as Governor.

According to accounts which vary in some of the details, in 340 BC the Byzantines and their allies the Athenians were under siege by the troops of Philip of Macedon.

The Athenians and Eretrians had succeeded in capturing and burning Sardis, but were then forced to retreat with heavy losses.

The new found freedom and self-governance of the Athenians meant that they were thereafter exceptionally hostile to the return of the tyranny of Hippias, or any form of outside subjugation ; by Sparta, Persia or anyone else.

The fact that the Ionian democracies were inspired by the example of Athens no doubt further persuaded the Athenians to support the Ionian Revolt ; especially since the cities of Ionia were ( supposedly ) originally Athenian colonies.

There may have been several strategic reasons for this ; perhaps they were aware ( or suspected ) that the Athenians were expecting reinforcements.

The Athenians were certainly aware throughout this period that the Persian interest in Greece had not ended ; Darius's son and successor, Xerxes I, had continued the preparations for the invasion of Greece.

Indeed, becoming aware of the Persian preparations for the coming invasion, the Athenians voted for the construction of more ships than Themistocles had initially asked for.

The Athenians were aware throughout this period that the Persian interest in Greece had not ended, and Themistocles's naval policies may be seen in the light of the potential threat from Persia.

Indeed, becoming aware of the Persian preparations for the coming invasion, the Athenians voted to build more ships than Themistocles had asked for.

Every four years, the Athenians held a festival called the Panathenaea that rivaled the Olympic Games in popularity.

After the death of Cleomenes and the refusal of the Athenians to restore the hostages to Leotychides, the Aeginetans retaliated by seizing a number of Athenians at a festival at Sunium.

Androgeus, son of Minos, had been killed by the Athenians, who were jealous of the victories he had won at the Panathenaic festival.

According to Herodotus, the Spartans, who were at that time celebrating the festival of Hyacinthus, delayed making a decision until they were persuaded by a guest, Chileos of Tegea, who pointed out the danger to all of Greece if the Athenians surrendered.

By a decree of the oracle of Dodona, which required the Athenians to grant land for a shrine or temple her cult was introduced into Attica by immigrant Thracian residents, and, though Thracian and Athenian processions remained separate, both cult and festival became so popular that in Plato's time ( ca.

According to Herodotus, the Spartans, who were at that time celebrating the festival of Hyacinthus, delayed making a decision until they were persuaded by a guest, Chileos of Tegea, who pointed out the danger to all of Greece if the Athenians surrendered.

The dramatic performances were important to the Athenians – this is made clear by the creation of a tragedy competition and festival in the City Dionysia.

Herodotus tells us that in the sixth century BC, the Athenians celebrated a quadrennial festival at Sounion, which involved Athens ' leaders sailing to the cape in a sacred boat.

The ancient Athenians celebrated the festival, which commemorated the death of Heracles, on the second day of the month of Metageitnion ( which would fall in late July or early August ), at the Κυνοσαργες ( Kynosarges ) gymnasium at the demos Diomeia outside the walls of Athens, in a sanctuary dedicated to Heracles.

The greater ( or city ) Dionysia had evolved into a dramatic festival ; Dionysus was the god of acting, music and poetry for the Athenians, and the festival became an urban carnival ( or Komos ).