Assessing Institutional and Ideological Changes: The Transformations of dēmokratia in the Late Hellenistic and Early Imperial Periods

Among the various changes which affected Greek cities during the late Hellenistic and early Imperial periods with regard to political practices and political culture, the disappearance of the concept of dēmokratia from the public discourse is certainly one of the most striking features. Although dēmokratia had been a core value during the whole Hellenistic period, as Greek cities asserted their ability to maintain their own institutions, the cessation of democratic references from the Augustan age represents a turning point in Greek political culture. This paper surveys the meanings of dēmokratia in the few known instances during the Imperial period and explores the reasons why local elite in Greek cities decided to cull this term from their vocabulary to describe contemporary situations. It shows that, while the absence of the concept of dēmokratia alone is insufficient to prove that any form of democratic practices was abolished, the use of more neutral expressions such as politeia, which had an Aristotelian flavour, is certainly indicative of the predominant role which was now played by conservative aristocrats in the government of Greek cities.