Kingship

Mycenaean age

King as war-leader

First among equals

Aristocratic descent from heroes and gods

Classical government

Oligarchy (Aristocracy)

Democracy

Tribal democracy = All who fight get a vote

Monarchy

Combination of the three

Tyranny = Usurpation of power by pure force

Classical kingship

Hereditary

Limited power of king

Law and custom

Divine punishment for Hubris

Spartan dual-kingship

No absolute power

Absolute monarchy was barbarian form of government

Plato

Philosopher king = Perfect virtue of the king

Follows advice of the philosopher

Love of subjects, mercy, justice, self-control, wisdom

Near Eastern kingship

Representative of god on earth

Purpose of rule is to enforce divine law and will

Religious basis (divine king)

Prophecy

Hereditary (sacred lineage)

Court ritual

Alexander

Philip as proto-monarch

Tyranny of Alexander

Belief in his own divinity

Use of Persian model of kingship

Right of conquest

Hellenistic Kingship

Spread Near Eastern models to Greeks and Romans