1.11 Athenian democracy

• Athenian democracy took the form of a direct democracy, and it had two distinguishing features: the random selection of ordinary citizens to fill the few existing government administrative and judicial offices (sortition), and a legislative assembly consisting of all Athenian citizens.
• All eligible citizens were allowed to speak and vote in the assembly, which set the laws of the city state. However, Athenian citizenship excluded women, slaves, foreigners, non-landowners, and men under 20 years of age.

Figure: Kleroterion - a randomization device used by the Athenians during the period of democracy to select citizens to the boule, to most state offices, to the nomothetai, and to court juries.