Athenian Arché and its Impact on the Relationship between Athens and Attika

Some ideas resulting from a particular analysis of Athens and Attika in the second half of the 5th centuryB.C. are underscored as they are enriching the already traditional theory of complementarity between asty and chora in the Greek world. Thus, whereas the economic dependence of ancient towns (viewed as consumer centres) on the resources of their surrounding rural areas is also stated, in order to supplement this theory sketched by Moses Finley four decades ago the phenomenon of separation between the urban centre and its traditional hinterland in 5th century Athens is investigated, as a direct consequence of sea trade, of the new public and private income sources and especially of the access to new arable land, other than that of Attika. The main reason of this evolution is represented by the Athenian maritime supremacy in the Aegean, which boosted the means of the Athenian elites and demos alike to acquire wealth.