Athens: Democracy/Timocracy? (1 Viewer)

[Uncle Toby]

Im doing Athens in the time of Pericles and im confused about the system of government. Athens was a democracy but i've also heard it was a timocracy so im getting confused. Was it both? Is a Timocracy a type if democracy?
Im getting sick of ocracy now so could someone explain this to me?
Any help would be great, thanks.

 

[Shoelia]

I have never heard of Timocracy. More importantly I've never heard of it in the context of Athens in the Time of Pericles. I don't think you should think about Timocracy at all. Just stick to democracy.

 

[Tragedy Thrills]

A timocracy is a government which is controlled by the wealthy, usually property owners. So, to some extent, Athens was a timocracy, in regards to the pentakosiomedimnoi, hippeis, etc, but Athens is nevertheless the classic example of democracy. I haven't seen any questions that really ask this, so I would just roll with democracy as Athen's form of government - as long as you can explain that its not quite what we see democracy as today.