Aristotle’s definition of oligarchy and oligarchic regimes in Athens, 5^th–4^th centuries bc

Abstract

Aristotle’s Politics contains a non-traditional and even unexpected definition of oligarchy that pictures it, unlike the conventional interpretation (which proceeded from the transparent etymology of the term itself), not as the ‘rule of the few’ but as the ‘rule of the wealthy’. Accordingly, one of the main signs of oligarchies for the philosopher is the property qualification. The article analyzes how the political practice of Athenian oligarchs correlated with these theoretical theses. It appears that the two stages of the oligarchic movement in Athens (late fifth century BC and late fourth century BC) substantially differ precisely in this regard. In the first case, the question of a qualification was not even raised, and an entirely different principle was applied: creation of a citizen body restricted in number (5000 in 411 BC, 3000 in 404 BC). As to the second case, they used the idea of qualification in its full sense (2000 drachmas in 322 BC, 1000 drachmas in 317 BC). So oligarchic regimes of the first period are closer to the traditional definition of oligarchy, whereas oligarchic regimes of the second period are closer to Aristotle’s definition (and were undoubtedly created under ideological influence of the Peripatetic school).