Democratic Athens
HIST 40003 / 50003 • Fall 2026
This course counts towards the Histories of Statemaking and the Limits of Power & Histories of Conflict, Justice, and Peace Concentrations
Cavalry procession from the Ionic frieze of the Parthenon, ca. 430 BCE
Instructor: Dr. Charles E. Muntz
Time: MWF 10:45-11:35
Place: 205 SCEN
Dr. Muntz's Office: 408 Old Main
Office Hours: M 1:00-2:30 and by appointment
Phone: (479) 575-5891
Email: cmuntz@uark.edu
Overview
History of the Athens from the sixth century to the end of the fourth. Topics include origins and evolution of democracy, the Persian wars, the rise and fall of the Athenian empire, and the development of historiography, literature, art, and philosophy during the period.
Learning Outcomes (Undergraduates)
• Students will be able to evaluate the ancient sources for Democratic Athens and the Classical Greek period and the problems with them.
• Students will understand the evolution of Athenian Democracy from its origins to the Macedonian conquest.
• Students will understand the contributions of Athens to Greek art, literature, and philosophy.
• Students will be able to describe the issues and problems of Athenian imperialism.
Learning Outcomes (Graduates) - all of the above, plus
• Engage with and evaluate modern scholarship on Democratic Athens
• Assess historiographic trends on Democratic Athens
Workload
First Paper: A 1600-1800 word paper comparing two different accounts of the prelude to the Battle of Salamis. Due September 21 by 5pm. Instructions can be found here.
Second Paper (Undergraduates): A 3200-3600 word paper evaluating Herodotus’s Histories in the context of the time when he was writing. Due December 4 by 5pm. Instructions can be found here.
Second Paper (Graduates): A 3500-4000 word research paper on a topic of the student's choice, chosen in consultation with the professor. Due December 4 by 5pm.
Exams: There will be an in-class midterm on September 30 consisting of essay questions, and a final exam on Monday December 7 from 10:15-12:15pm consisting of essay questions.
Class Discussion: Certain class periods are set aside for class discussions. Questions based on the primary sources to get things started can be found on the course site, but feel free to raise other issues or questions on your own.
Grading policies for discussions
Attendance: Regular attendance is important. I will allow each student to miss up to three classes without penalty to cover things like illness and religious observances. However, absences on discussion days or days when graded material is due are not permitted except by prior arrangement or in case of emergencies. Please email me in advance if you are going to miss class. For each absence after the first three, unless there is a serious problem or illness, I will lower the final participation grade by 10 points. If you do have to miss a class, make sure you meet with another student to find out what you missed!
Grade Breakdown:
Participation: 15%
Paper 1: 15%
Paper 2: 30%
Midterm: 15%
Final: 25%
Reading Materials
Required Texts (you need to use these specific translations, even if you have others):
Davie, John. Euripides: Electra and Other Plays. ISBN 0140446680
Hammond, Martin. Thucydides: The Peloponnesian War. ISBN 9780192821911 - the library also has this as an eBook.
Reeve, C. D. C., trans. Plato: Republic. ISBN 9780872207363.
Waterfield, Robin. Herodotus: The Histories. ISBN 9780199535668 - the library also has this as an eBook.
Shapiro, Alan & Peter Burian, trans. Aeschylus: The Oresteia. ISBN 019513592X
Sommerstein, Alan H., trans. Aristophanes: Lysistrata and Other Plays. ISBN 9780140448146
Other texts will be made available via links under Daily Topics
Super resource if you need to look up a person or topic (much better than Wikipedia or other web sources):
The Oxford Classical Dictionary
Policies
Academic Integrity: As a core part of its mission, the University of Arkansas provides students with the opportunity to further their educational goals through programs of study and research in an environment that promotes freedom of inquiry and academic responsibility. Accomplishing this mission is only possible when intellectual honesty and individual integrity prevail.
Each University of Arkansas student is required to be familiar with and abide by the University’s ‘Academic Integrity Policy’ which may be found at http://provost.uark.edu/. Students with questions about how these policies apply to a particular course or assignment should immediately contact their instructor.
Equal Access: University of Arkansas Academic Policy Series 1520.10 requires that students with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact me privately at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through the Center for Educational Access (contact 479-575-3104 or visit http://cea.uark.edu for more information on registration procedures).
Unauthorized Websites or Internet Resources: There are many websites claiming to offer study aids to students, but in using such websites, students could find themselves in violation of our University’s Academic Integrity and Code of Student Life policies. These websites include (but are not limited to) Quizlet, Bartleby, Course Hero, Chegg, and Clutch Prep. The U of A does not endorse the use of these products in an unethical manner. These websites may encourage students to upload course materials, such as test questions, individual assignments, and examples of graded material. Such materials are the intellectual property of instructors, the university, or publishers and may not be distributed without prior authorization. Furthermore, paying for academic work to be completed on your behalf and submitting it for academic credit is considered ‘contract cheating’ per the Academic Integrity Policy. Students found responsible for this type of violation face a grading penalty of ‘XF’ and a minimum one-semester academic suspension per the University of Arkansas Sanction Rubric. The use of AI such as ChatGPT and similar tools is also prohibited. Please let me know if you are uncertain about the use of a website.
Unauthorized Recording by Student: Recording, or transmission of a recording, of all or any portion of a class is prohibited unless the recording is necessary for educational accommodation as expressly authorized and documented through the Center for Educational Access with proper advance notice to the instructor. Unauthorized recordings may violate federal law, state law, and university policies. Student-made recordings are subject to the same restrictions as instructor- made recordings. Failure to comply with this provision will result in a referral to the Office of Student Standards and Conduct for potential charges under the Code of Student Life. In situations where the recordings are used to gain an academic advantage, it may also be considered a violation of the University of Arkansas' academic integrity policy.
Recording of Class Lectures: By attending this class, student understands the course may be recorded and consents to being recorded for official university educational purposes. Be aware that incidental recording may also occur before and after official class times.
Unauthorized Use and Distribution of Class Notes: Third parties may attempt to connect with you to buy your notes and other course information from this class. I will consider distributing course materials to a third party without my authorization a violation of my intellectual property rights and/or copyright law as well as a violation of the University of Arkansas' academic integrity policy. Continued enrollment in this class signifies your intent to abide by the policy. Any violation will be reported to the Office of Academic Initiatives and Integrity.
Please be aware that such class materials that may have already been given to such third parties may contain errors, which could affect your performance or grade. If a third party should contact you regarding such an offer, I would appreciate your bringing this to my attention. We all play a part in creating a course climate of integrity.
Miscellaneous: Please turn off and put away all cell phones and any other non-course related items and finish any food you might be eating or drinking before coming into class. Please remain seated during class - if you need to use the lavatory, do so before or after class.
Daily Topics and Reading Assignments
Week 1
August 17: Introduction
August 19: The Greek World in the Late 6th Century
Xenophon: Constitution of the Spartans
Herodotus, Book 1.1-94
August 21: Herodotus and the Rise of Persia
Herodotus, Book 1.95-216
Week 2
August 24: The Rise of Athenian Democracy
Aristotle: Constitution of the Athenians Parts 1-19
Herodotus, Book 3.80-88, 5.55-96
August 26: Athenian Democracy and Persia
Herodotus, Book 5.30-38, 5.49-51, 5.97-102, 6.94-124
August 28: The Persian Wars
Herodotus Book 7.1-58, 7.100-105, 7.138-152, 7.172-239
Week 3
August 31: Herodotus Discussion
Herodotus Book 8.40-112, 9.76-122
September 2: The Delian League
Thucydides 1.89-117
September 4: Theatre and the Polis
Aeschylus: Agamemnon
Week 4
September 7: Labor Day, no class
September 9: The Radical Democracy
Aeschylus: Libation Bearers
Aristotle: Constitution of the Athenians 20-27
September 11: Religion in Athens
Aeschylus: Eumenides
Week 5
September 14: Discussion: Aeschylus
Aeschylus: Finish the Oresteia
September 16: The Revolution in Art
September 18: Pericles and the Athenian Empire
Plutarch: Life of Pericles 1-28
Old Oligarch: Constitution of the Athenians
Week 6
September 21: The Periclean Building Program, Part 1 / First Paper Due by 5pm
September 23: Women, Slaves, and others under Democracy
September 25: The Periclean Building Program, Part 2
Plutarch: Life of Theseus
Week 7
September 28: Theseus and the Myth of Athens
Euripides: Suppliant Women
September 30: Midterm
October 2: Aristophanes and the Sophists
Gorgias: Encomium of Helen
Aristophanes: Clouds
Week 8
October 5: Discussion: Euripides v. Aeschylus
Euripides: Electra
Review Aeschylus: Libation Bearers, Euripides: Suppliant Women
October 7: The Origins of the Peloponnesian War
Thucydides 1.1-2.10
October 9: Archidamian War, Part 1
Thucydides 2.11-2.78
Week 9
October 12: Discussion: Aristophanes & Comedy
Aristophanes: Acharnians (review Clouds as well)
October 14: The Archidamian War 2
Thucydides 3.1-68, 3.70-85
October 16: Thucydides Discussion 1
Thucydides 4.1-48, 4.102-119, 5.1-26
Week 10
October 19: Fall Break, no class
October 21: The Rise of Alcibiades
Thucydides 5.84-116
Start Thucydides 6
October 23: Discussion: Melos and Trojan Women
Euripides: The Trojan Women
Week 11
October 26: The Sicilian Expedition
Finish Thucydides 6, start 7
October 28: Discussion: Sicilian Expedition
Finish Thucydides 7
October 30: Democracy on Edge
Aristophanes: Lysistrata
Week 12
November 2: The Downfall of the Athenian Empire
November 4: The 30 Tyrants and the Death of Socrates
Plato: Apology
November 6: Law and Justice in Athens
Lysias: On the Murder of Eratosthenes, On the Sacred Olive Tree, Against Eratosthenes
Week 13
November 9: Plato and the Classical Symposium
Plato: Republic, Book 1
November 11: The Spartan and Theban Hegemonies
Plato: Republic, Book 2 starting at 368c (p. 46) - Book 3, to around 407a (p. 90) or so
November 13: Plato Discussion 1
Plato: Republic, rest of Book 3 to the end of Book 4
Week 14
November 16: The 2nd Athenian Naval Confederacy
Charter of the 2nd Athenian Naval Confederacy (Harding 35)
Demosthenes: On the Liberty of Rhodes
November 18: Art After Pheidias
Plato: Republic, Book 5 to 476a (p. 169), start book 6
November 20: The Spread of Hellenism
Plato: Republic, Book 6 to 506d (p. 201), Book 7 to 521b (p.215, basically the allegory of the cave), start Book 8
Week 15
November 23: Plato Discussion 2
Plato: Republic, finish Book 8, Book 10 (skip 9)
Review Xenophon's Constitution of the Spartans
November 25: Thanksgiving Break
November 27: Thanksgiving Break
Week 16
November 30: Athens and Philip II
Demosthenes: First Olynthiac, On the Peace, Third Philippic
December 2: Epilogue and Review
December 4: Second paper due by 5pm
Monday December 7, 10:15 am: Final Exam!