The Athenian Constitution
by Aristotle · Ἀθηναίων πολιτεία
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- c. 330 BCE
- Form
- History
- Language
- Greek
- Length
- Short · 100 ppunder 120 pages
- Difficulty
- Moderate2 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendThe Athenian Constitution, translated by P. J. RhodesPenguin Classics, 1984A clear translation by the leading commentator on the text, with notes that supply the missing history.
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A history and description of the Athenian political system, recovered from a papyrus in 1890 and attributed to Aristotle's school. The first part traces the constitution from Draco and Solon through Peisistratus, Cleisthenes, the rise of the democracy, the oligarchies of 411 and 404 and the restoration. The second part describes the working democracy of the 320s: the assembly, council, courts, magistrates and the allotment of offices.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns The Athenian Constitution are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.



