Contrasting three ancient civilizations — Rome, Greece, and Persia — the origins of democracies focus primarily on the way they ruled over the citizens who made them up. 392 BC 300 BC An Athenian jury found Socrates guilty of corrupting the minds of young men and similar crimes of dissent, and was poisoned. “People don’t like their knowledge being questioned, but I know I don’t know.” These were the words of him, who was said to be the first victim of democracy.
Socrates greatly disparaged the government of Athens, insisting that political representation was an enterprise that required skill and commitment – something he believed the politicians of Greece at the time lacked, and that the positions of power they held were simply a birthright .
This is significant because the Athenians are credited with creating a democracy, and the film theorizes that their democracy is anything but what we think of as a modern society. At the height of ancient Greece, Athens was home to 400,000 people, over 200,000 of whom were slaves, who of course had no voting rights or representation. Women are also excluded from political affairs. The filmmakers are quick to point out how aristocratic this democratic approach sounds.
In contrast, the film turns to the Persian Empire, which was ruled in a more traditional and simple way. A vast empire stretching from India to Egypt was presided over by rulers of provinces with similar religious views. These rulers had to possess a “divine brilliance” to hold power – a brilliance possessed by everyone who became a king and said to be lost by all who were overthrown. This splendor was considered a blessing from the gods, and people obeyed the ruler’s order as it was believed to be the order of the gods themselves.
The film’s point is that interpreting democracy as a form of government is subjective and often misused — as any form of government has sometimes been and continues to be.
