Kings ruled because they belonged to a specific family, inheriting the position from their father or other male relative.

Aegeus was a legendary king of Athens. He was forced to provide a tribute of young men and women to Knossos on Crete. The youth were sacrificed to a mythical beast called the Minotaur. The legend was probably based on hostages sent to the Minoans to insure the loyalty of Athens. The Aegean Sea is named for him.

Theseus was a legendary king of Athens. He defeated the Minoans by killing the Minotaur with the help of a Minoan princess. He also fought a war against a tribe of women-warriors called the Amazons.

Sometime before 682 B.C., the most important families in Athens overthrew the king. These families elected the archons and aristocratic council. These positions were originally open only to people born into aristocratic families. After 594 B.C., wealth rather than birth became the main legal requirement for office.

Each of the archons held some of the powers of the old kings. One archon, for example, was the chief military command. Another held the religious offices of the king. The archons were elected from among the nobility for a term from one year to life, depending on the time period.

The Areopagus was the main council of the aristocrats. It was the main judicial body of Athens until the 500s B.C. and probably held most of the power in Athens during aristocratic rule. As democracy developed, it became less important until it only was used as a homicide court. The Areopagus was not the same as the later democratic Council of 500.

Draco became archon around 621 B.C. His public law code made punishments predictable, which prevented aristocrats from making up laws. Draco's laws were brutal, with nearly every crime resulting in a death sentence. As a result, severe laws are still called draconian today

Solon became archon about 594 B.C. He opened most political offices to citizens based on income rather than family, reformed Draco's laws, and created the main institutions of Athenian democracy, the Assembly and the Council of 400 (later enlarged to 500).

Tyrants were rulers with the power of the old king, but not part of the royal family. Some seized power by force, while others inherited it from their fathers (who had seized power). The ancient Greeks did not use the word "tyranny" to describe cruel or corrupt leaders, only strong rulers not born into a royal family.

Peisistratus was a relative of Solon and a famous soldier. He took absolute power in 546 B.C. As tyrant, he broke up some of the largest estates. He also reduced the power of the aristocrats by creating traveling judges and frequently inspecting rural areas.

In 512 B.C., Cleithenes allied with the people to become tyrant. He replaced the old family and clan system for government positions with one based on location. Almost all positions were chosen by lottery from the ten new "tribes" (called demes). His reforms led to democracy by 508 B.C.

Athens was a direct democracy where the citizens directly voted on all important matters. Most positions were chosen randomly and were open to all citizens. Athenian leaders after 508 B.C. only had power to the extent they could convince the Assembly to support their plans.
Athenian democracy was briefly interrupted after the Peloponnesian War when the victorious Spartans installed an oligarchy of 30 men. The Athenians called them the 30 Tyrants and quickly overthrew them.
Athenian democracy survived until the Macedonian conquest.

Themistocles was only half-Athenian by birth, but the legal changes under Cleithenses gave him full citizenship. He led the radical democrats from 493 to 480 B.C. and was elected archon and general. He encouraged the development of the Athenian navy, which placed the defense of Athens in the hands of the poorest citizens. As a general, he led the combined Greek navies to victory against the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.

Pericles led Athens from about 460 to 429 B.C. He oversaw the expansion of Athenian power throughout the Aegean Sea with the Delian League; the building of the Parthenon on the Acropolis (upper city), financed from the Delian League treasury; the building of the Long Walls, which connected Athens to its port six miles away; and the maintenance of peace with Sparta until 431. When war did break out, he prevented a quick Spartan victory by evacuating people in the countryside to the city. The resulting plague killed him along with thousands of Athenians.