This is a list of the Greek democracies for which there is some evidence in the Archaic period, following Eric Robinson's book The First Democracies (Stuttgart, 1997). Most of them probably pre-date the establishment of democracy in Athens by Cleisthenes in 508-507 BC.
| Polis/ area
|
Date
|
| Achaea
|
At some point between c. 650 and c. 500 BC
|
| Chios
|
Probably a democracy sometime between c. 600-550 BC
|
| Megara
|
Probably a democracy sometime in the 6th century BC
|
| Chalkis
|
Possibly a short-lived democracy sometime in the 6th century BC
|
| Mantinea
|
Possibly a democracy sometime in the 6th century BC
|
| Cnidus
|
A democracy either in the 6th century or the 4th century BC
|
| Heraclea Pontica
|
A democracy by c. 560 BC
|
| Cyrene
|
A democracy from c. 550 BC
|
| Naxos
|
A democracy from c. 550 to 490 BC
|
| Ambracia
|
Probably a democracy by c. 550 BC
|
| Argos
|
A democracy possibly from c. 550, and definitely from 494 BC
|
| Elis
|
Possibly a democracy in the 6th century, and definitely in the 5th century BC
|
| Samos
|
Possibly a democracy in the late 6th century BC
|
| Kos
|
A democracy from the 490s BC
|
| Akragas
|
Possibly a democracy before 488, and definitely one after 472 BC
|
References
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