Aristophanes' Congresswomen (ca. 392 BC)

This last excursion in Comedy takes down to years of Athens' recovery. In 395/4 Athens allied with her old arch-enemy Corinth to regain a balance of power against Sparta. Athens rebuilt her walls and began to rebuild her naval power--barely 10 years after Athens was crushed in defeat, a client state with a pro-Spartan oligarchic regime.

The decade of recovery saw--along with high-profile trials like Socrates'--a return of demagoguery and the threat of radicalization. The signal event that provides the premise for this comedy is the recent introduction of Pay for attending Assembly. This measure was introduced by Agyrrhius (referred to in the play)

Our heroine is a gal named Praxagora. She leads yet another Women's revolt.

1) What happens? How do the women succeed in forcing their agenda?

2) What's wrong with Athens? Why are the Women again on the warpath?

3) What is the fundamental idea in Praxagora's Programme? Why are Women naturally fitted to lead the new regime?

4) The more things change .... Compare Praxagora's triumph with Lysistrata; Dicaeopolis.