This topic sheet is a glossary. It contains definitions of a number of terms related to Athens and its democracy.
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WORDS |
DEFINITIONS |
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Budget |
All sums of money (income and expenditure) for a given period of time. |
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Representative democracy |
A political system in which the commoners or the people vote for people to represent them and make political decisions. |
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Dictatorship |
Political system of a state in which all powers are in the hands of a single person. |
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Essor |
Significant improvement, progress, development. |
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Gymnasium |
Gymnasiums in Greece had the same role as those we have today: to enable the practice of different physical activities. |
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Immigrant |
A person who was born abroad but has settled permanently in a new place. |
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Income tax |
A sum of money levied by the authorities to cover public expenditure. |
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Institution |
Organisation with official status, whose role is precise and recognised. |
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Legal |
Related to the law, the application of laws. |
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Mandated |
To be mandated is to be given a mission, a duty. |
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Political system of a state in which power is in the hands of one person. Quite often, power is hereditary (passed from father to son). |
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Organ |
In this context, is a synonym for organisation or institution. |
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Peninsula |
A territory is said to be a peninsula when it is attached to a continent only by a relatively narrow strip of land. |
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Prestige, prestigious |
Who commands respect through his success. |
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Rampart |
Defensive construction built around a town or building. Synonymous with wall or enclosure. |
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Political system of a state in which the commoners or the people hold power and exercise it by voting for laws or elected representatives. |
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Tribunal, courts |
An institution in which justice is dispensed in accordance with the law. |
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Virtuous |
A virtuous person is one who respects to the letter the moral values established by society. |
The concepts covered in these concept sheets go beyond those seen in secondary school. They provide additional information for those who are curious to know more.