1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:09,669 It's 427 BCE, 2 00:00:10,009 --> 00:00:14,150 and the worst internal conflict ever to occur in the ancient Greek world 3 00:00:14,150 --> 00:00:15,570 is in its fourth year. 4 00:00:16,309 --> 00:00:18,530 The Peloponnesian War is being fought 5 00:00:18,530 --> 00:00:21,329 between the city-states of Athens and Sparta, 6 00:00:21,609 --> 00:00:22,710 as well as their allies. 7 00:00:23,670 --> 00:00:28,190 The Athenians can't match the formidable Spartan army on land, 8 00:00:28,190 --> 00:00:30,109 so they've abandoned the countryside 9 00:00:30,109 --> 00:00:33,969 and moved inside the walls surrounding their city and port, 10 00:00:33,969 --> 00:00:38,929 now provisioned by a superior fleet and extensive maritime empire. 11 00:00:40,030 --> 00:00:42,030 The cramped conditions have taken a toll, 12 00:00:42,429 --> 00:00:45,530 and a recent plague wiped out a third of the population, 13 00:00:45,950 --> 00:00:47,409 but city life goes on. 14 00:00:48,929 --> 00:00:52,170 Arceas and Dexilea live in the center of Athens. 15 00:00:52,869 --> 00:00:54,689 As a painter of high-class pottery, 16 00:00:55,130 --> 00:00:57,049 Arceas is relatively well-off 17 00:00:57,049 --> 00:00:59,590 and takes great interest in the city's affairs. 18 00:00:59,590 --> 00:01:05,590 Dexilea, on the other hand, can't participate in politics or own property. 19 00:01:05,590 --> 00:01:10,590 The couple are grateful to the gods that three of their four children, 20 00:01:10,590 --> 00:01:14,590 a son and two daughters, have survived past infancy. 21 00:01:14,590 --> 00:01:18,590 Many parents see daughters as a liability 22 00:01:18,590 --> 00:01:21,590 since they require dowries to find husbands, 23 00:01:21,590 --> 00:01:24,590 but Archias is confident that his wealth will allow him 24 00:01:24,590 --> 00:01:27,590 to make good matches for them without going bankrupt. 25 00:01:28,409 --> 00:01:31,409 Like many Athenians, the family owns slaves. 26 00:01:32,209 --> 00:01:34,950 Originally from Thrasy, they were captured in war. 27 00:01:36,129 --> 00:01:39,010 Thrata does most of the housework and helps raise the children. 28 00:01:39,709 --> 00:01:43,409 Philon is a pedagogos, who supervises the son's education, 29 00:01:43,769 --> 00:01:45,189 teaching him reading and writing. 30 00:01:46,170 --> 00:01:49,310 Arceas is up early because there's a meeting of the Ecclesia, 31 00:01:49,849 --> 00:01:52,650 the assembly of citizens, taking place at dawn. 32 00:01:53,469 --> 00:01:55,590 Before setting out, he burns incense 33 00:01:55,590 --> 00:01:59,030 and pours a libation at the small shrine in the courtyard 34 00:01:59,030 --> 00:02:01,390 on behalf of his entire household. 35 00:02:02,230 --> 00:02:04,390 Dexilea will remain at home all day, 36 00:02:04,769 --> 00:02:06,469 teaching her daughter's domestic skills. 37 00:02:07,209 --> 00:02:10,090 Later, she'll retire to the inner courtyard for some fresh air. 38 00:02:11,389 --> 00:02:13,490 When Arceus arrives at the agora, 39 00:02:13,849 --> 00:02:15,889 the civic and commercial heart of the city, 40 00:02:16,169 --> 00:02:18,830 he finds the square swarming with his fellow citizens, 41 00:02:19,449 --> 00:02:22,930 native-born adult males who have completed military training. 42 00:02:23,930 --> 00:02:25,530 Attached to the central monument 43 00:02:25,530 --> 00:02:27,650 is a notice board with the meeting's agenda. 44 00:02:28,449 --> 00:02:30,389 Today there's only one item of discussion, 45 00:02:30,770 --> 00:02:32,729 what to do with the people of Mytilene, 46 00:02:33,090 --> 00:02:34,949 a city on the island of Lesbos 47 00:02:34,949 --> 00:02:38,469 where a revolt against Athenian rule has just been put down. 48 00:02:39,129 --> 00:02:42,289 The meeting takes place on a hill west of the Acropolis, 49 00:02:42,789 --> 00:02:43,930 known as the Pnyx. 50 00:02:44,330 --> 00:02:46,009 The word means tightly packed, 51 00:02:46,009 --> 00:02:49,710 and the crowd of 5,000 citizens makes it clear why. 52 00:02:49,710 --> 00:02:52,569 The heralds purify the hill 53 00:02:52,569 --> 00:02:55,129 by sprinkling its boundary with pig's blood 54 00:02:55,129 --> 00:02:56,469 and call for order 55 00:02:56,469 --> 00:03:00,310 As everyone sits on benches facing the platform 56 00:03:00,310 --> 00:03:03,370 the presiding officer opens the meeting with the words 57 00:03:03,370 --> 00:03:05,169 Tis agoreven bulete 58 00:03:05,169 --> 00:03:07,490 who wishes to address the assembly 59 00:03:07,490 --> 00:03:10,409 One by one, citizens speak 60 00:03:10,409 --> 00:03:11,949 some advising mercy 61 00:03:11,949 --> 00:03:13,669 others bent on vengeance 62 00:03:13,669 --> 00:03:18,490 A motion is proposed to execute all the Mytileneans 63 00:03:18,490 --> 00:03:20,289 and enslave their women and children 64 00:03:20,289 --> 00:03:22,789 because they betrayed their Athenian allies 65 00:03:22,789 --> 00:03:23,870 during a time of war. 66 00:03:24,889 --> 00:03:27,789 A majority raises their right hands in favor. 67 00:03:29,310 --> 00:03:30,330 Once the meeting's over, 68 00:03:30,710 --> 00:03:33,750 Arceas heads back to the Agora to buy food and wine. 69 00:03:34,349 --> 00:03:36,449 Hundreds have gathered there to discuss the results, 70 00:03:36,810 --> 00:03:38,330 many unhappy with the decision. 71 00:03:39,509 --> 00:03:40,969 When Arceas returns home, 72 00:03:41,210 --> 00:03:43,030 he tells Dexilea about the debate. 73 00:03:43,830 --> 00:03:46,270 She thinks that killing the innocent as well as the guilty 74 00:03:46,270 --> 00:03:47,909 is harsh and counterproductive, 75 00:03:47,909 --> 00:03:49,289 and tells him as much. 76 00:03:50,590 --> 00:03:53,930 Around dusk, Arceus goes to a friend's house for a symposium. 77 00:03:54,530 --> 00:03:58,069 The nine men drink wine and discuss the meeting well into the night. 78 00:03:58,969 --> 00:04:01,590 Arceus shares his wife's opinion, urging mercy, 79 00:04:01,870 --> 00:04:03,449 and his friends eventually agree. 80 00:04:04,830 --> 00:04:07,530 Before dawn, something unprecedented happens. 81 00:04:08,169 --> 00:04:10,250 Heralds circulate throughout Athens, 82 00:04:10,629 --> 00:04:13,150 announcing the council has called another meeting. 83 00:04:14,009 --> 00:04:15,870 The second debate is equally heated, 84 00:04:15,870 --> 00:04:21,009 but a new resolution, to execute only the leaders of the revolt, narrowly passes. 85 00:04:21,910 --> 00:04:22,870 Yet there's a problem. 86 00:04:23,209 --> 00:04:27,810 A ship with orders to carry out the first resolution was dispatched the previous day. 87 00:04:28,490 --> 00:04:32,509 And so another ship quickly set sail to countermand the order, 88 00:04:33,050 --> 00:04:35,910 a race of democracy against time. 89 00:04:45,870 --> 00:04:49,509 more educational videos to lifelong learners around the world 90 00:04:49,509 --> 00:04:53,029 by making a small monthly contribution on our 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