ATTICA, a state of ancient Greece, whose capital, Athens, was once the first city in the world. It is a peninsula, united, toward the north, with Bceotia, toward the west, in some degree, with Megaris, and extends far into the 2Egean Sea at Cape Sunium (now Cape Colonna). The unfruitfulness of its soil pro tected it against foreign invaders, and the Athenians boasted of their ancient and un mingled race. The earliest inhabitants of Attica lived in a savage manner until the time of Cecrops, who came 1550 B.C. with a colony from Sais, at the mouth of the Nile, to Attica, and is acknowledged as their first real king. One of Cecrops' descendants founded 11 other cities, which in after-times made war upon each other. Theseus compelled these cities to unite, and to give to Cecropia, now called Athens, as the capital city of the whole country, the supreme power over the confederacy. He founded the great feast called the panalhencea, watched over the administration of the laws, commanded the army, divided the whole people into three classes — noblemen, husbandmen and mechan ics. He embellished and enlarged Athens, and invited foreigners to people the country. After the death of Codrus, 1068 B.C., the monarchical form of government, which had continued 487 years from the time of Cecrops, was abolished. An archon, chosen for life, possessed the regal power. After 316 years the term of office of the archons was limited to 10 years, and 70 years later to one year, and their number was increased to nine. A regular code of laws was now needed. The archon Draco was commis sioned to draw one up; but his severity dis gusted the minds of the people, and 594 B.0 Solon introduced a milder code and a better constitution. He provided that the form of government should continue democratic, and that a senate of 400 members, chosen from the people, should administer the government. Pisistratus, a man of talents, boldness and am bition, put himself at the head of the poorer classes, and made himself master of the su preme power in Athens. His government was splendid and beneficent, but his two sons could not maintain it. Clisthenes, a friend of the people, exerted himself to prevent future abuses by some changes in the laws of Solon. He di vided the people into 10 classes, and made the senate consist of 500 persons. Attica was al
ready highly cultivated; the vintage and har vest, like all the labors of this gay people, were celebrated with dance and song, with feasts and sacrifices. Then came the splendid era of the Persian War, which elevated Athens to the summit of fame. Miltiades at Marathon, and Themistocles at Salamis, conquered the Per sians by land and by sea. The freedom of Greece escaped the dangers which had threat ened it; the rights of the people were enlarged; the archons and other magistrates were chosen from all classes without distinction. The period from the Persian War to the time of Alexander (500 B.c. to 336) was most remarkable for the development of the Athenian constitution. Ac cording to BOckh's