Most Ancient Aryan Society

Author(s): Ram Chandra Jain
Publisher: Institute of Bharatalogical Research Sriganganagar Rajasthan

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( 197 ) weaker and weaker. The Dorians had reduced the earlier population to serfdom and slavery who belonged to the non-enfranchised class. Only the warrior class was a franchised community. The weakening of the Dorian tribal organisation gave birth to the concept of polis which, according to Aristotle, is a partnership of several villages which already possess the dimensions of virtual complete self-sufficiency. When many villages so entirely join themselves together as in every respect to form but one society ; that society is a city (polis). Such Dorian city states were that of Sparta, Corinth and others.
The power and authority of Basileus began to wane in the new set of circumstances. Sparta displaced it by dual kingship and then by Ephorate. Five ephors were elected by the Assembly of the People, people meaning only the Āryan people not the vanquished serfs and slaves. It can not be called kingdom, oligarchy or clemocracy. It was Aristocracy, rule by a few chosen tribal leaders; the Aryan Devas. But, significantly enough, this was the first impact of pre-Hellenic elective republican system.
Early in the seventh-century, the Athenjan republic was an aristocracy and the executive was in the hands of three annually elected officers, the archon, the king and the polemarch. Basileus was the king in charge of religious functions. Archon was the supreme judge in all suits, Polemarch was commander-in-chief also having Judicial duties."
Solon created the institutions and constructed the machinery of the Athenian democracy that could not work. This Aristocracy was replaced by Tyranny. Cleisthenes, reconstructed tribes from demes. Both the tribes and the demes were corporations with officers, assemblies and