The ancient city
The ancient cityThe Ancient City Pompeii
“How democratic was Pompeian politics?”
In order to answer the above question, it is first necessary to consider the exact meaning of the term “democracy”. Whilst it is difficult to give an exact definition of the word, it is certainly possible to create a list of the implications of democratic government for a society and its citizens. Perhaps the most obvious of these implications, certainly when considered from a modern standpoint, would be that every full member of a society would be considered as being equal, and thus would have an equal say in the running and appointing of a government. Secondly, truly democratic government would also imply that every member of society would have an equal opportunity to be elected to a governmental position. Such an opportunity should at least, in theory anyway, not be reliant on social class or position, nor financial support. Finally, the existence of a truly democratic system of government would also imply that governments be periodically elected, and during any given term of government, politicians would be fully employed by the state in the running of the country.
Given such implications of democracy, Pompeian politics would appear at first appraisal to hardly be democratic at all. Certainly, it can be said that the politics...
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