BRIBERY IN CLASSICAL ATHENS Kellam ... - Historia Antigua

Conover Bribery in Classical Athens Chapter Two
gone since at least Aristotle, that political end was the assertion of the dēmos’ authority
within the courts. In other words, Cimon’s trial is best remembered for ushering in the
democratic hallmark of public accountability. 2
The issue of the people’s authority was an important theme in the democracy
from its inception under the leadership of Cleisthenes in 508/7. In Herodotus’
Constitutional Debate, mass rule (plh=qoj a1rxon) is distinguished by public
accountability, use of the lot in selecting public officials, and policymaking by the people
themselves (Hdt. 3.80.6). Within 50 years of Cleisthenes’ reforms, all three marks of the
people’s authority were present in the Athenian democracy. As suggested by Cimon’s
trial and the public accountability it fostered, the story of dōrodokia in the fifth century is
closely tied to the growing institutionalization of rule of the people at Athens.
Accordingly, this chapter has twin aims: both to read dōrodokia in light of the
development of the dēmos’ political authority and to re-read the democracy in light of
issues raised by examining dōrodokia. As we will see, inasmuch as the story of
dōrodokia and bribe monies shadows important trends in the democracy, examining what
kinds of monies were used to negotiate legitimate political relationships can help us see
how the nature of political power changed over time. Cimon’s trial will act as a
touchstone throughout our investigation: first, for establishing two thematic trends in the
fifth-century democracy that underpinned how the dōrodokos was conceptualized;
second, as a counterpoint to how these interrelated trends subsequently shaped the
development of the democracy. The image of the dōrodokos that emerges from Cimon’s
trial is one that is reflected and refracted throughout the fifth century, as we will
2 Ostwald, Raaflaub, Bauman (1990: 28-31), and Carena, Manfredini, and Piccirilli (1990: 250 ad Plut.
Cim. 14,12) underscore the political utility of Cimon’s trial, but see further Chapter Seven.
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