It’s 427 BCE, and the worst internal 
conflict ever to occur

in the ancient Greek world 
is in its fourth year.

The Peloponnesian War is being fought

between the city-states of Athens and
Sparta, as well as their allies.

The Athenians can’t match the formidable 
Spartan army on land.

So they’ve abandoned the countryside

and moved inside the walls surrounding 
their city and port,

now provisioned by a superior fleet 
and extensive maritime empire.

The cramped conditions have taken a toll

and a recent plague wiped out 
a third of the population.

But city life goes on.

Archias and Dexileia live 
in the center of Athens.

As a painter of high-class pottery,

Archias is relatively well off and takes 
great interest in the city’s affairs.

Dexileia, on the other hand, can't
participate in politics or own property.

The couple are grateful to the gods that 
three of their four children,

a son and two daughters,

have survived past infancy.

Many parents see daughters as a liability

since they require dowries 
to find husbands.

But Archias is confident that his wealth

will allow him to make good matches
for them without going bankrupt.

Like many Athenians, 
the family owns slaves.

Originally from Thrace,
they were captured in war.

Thratta does most of the housework 
and helps raise the children.

Philon is a paidagôgos,

who supervises the son’s education, 
teaching him reading and writing.

Archias is up early because there’s 
a meeting of the Ekklêsia,

the assembly of citizens,

taking place at dawn.

Before setting out, he burns incense

and pours a libation at the small shrine 
in the courtyard

on behalf of his entire household.

Dexileia will remain at home all day, 
teaching her daughters domestic skills.

Later, she’ll retire to the inner 
courtyard for some fresh air.

When Archias arrives at the Agora,

the civic and commercial heart 
of the city,

he finds the square swarming 
with his fellow-citizens,

native-born adult males who 
have completed military training.

Attached to the central monument is 
a noticeboard with the meeting’s agenda.

Today, there’s only one item 
of discussion:

what to do with the people of Mytilene,

a city on the island of Lesbos

where a revolt against Athenian-rule 
has just been put down.

The meeting takes place on a hill west 
of the Acropolis known as the Pnyx.

The word means “tightly packed,"

and the crowd of 5,000 citizens 
makes it clear why.

The heralds purify the hill by sprinkling 
its boundary with pig’s blood,

and call for order.

As everyone sits on benches 
facing the platform,

the presiding officer opens the meeting 
with the words,

“tis agoreuein bouleutai?”–

“Who wishes to address the assembly?”

One by one, citizens speak, some advising 
mercy, others bent on vengeance.

A motion is proposed to execute 
all the Mytileneans

and enslave their women and children

because they betrayed their Athenian 
allies during a time of war.

A majority raises their right hands 
in favor.

Once the meeting’s over, Archias heads 
back to the Agora to buy food and wine.

Hundreds have gathered there 
to discuss the results,

many unhappy with the decision.

When Archias returns home, 
he tells Dexileia about the debate.

She thinks that killing the innocent 
as well as the guilty

is harsh and counterproductive,

and tells him as much.

Around dusk Archias goes to 
a friend’s house for a symposium.

The nine men drink wine and
discuss the meeting well into the night.

Archias shares his wife’s opinion urging 
mercy, and his friends eventually agree.

Before dawn something 
unprecedented happens.

Heralds circulate throughout Athens

announcing the Council 
has called another meeting.

The second debate is equally heated,

but a new resolution, 
to execute only the leaders of the revolt,

narrowly passes.

Yet there’s a problem –

a ship with orders to carry out 
the first resolution

was dispatched the previous day.

And so another ship quickly sets sail 
to countermand the order –

a race of democracy against time.