what type of government did athens have?

Athens had a direct democracy as its form of government during its golden age. In this system, all adult male citizens (excluding women, slaves, and non-citizens) could participate directly in decision-making. The central institution was the Ecclesia (assembly), where citizens debated and voted on legislation and executive decrees. There was also a council called the Boule, consisting of 500 citizens selected by lot, which prepared matters for the assembly and handled daily governance. Courts staffed by citizens ruled on legal issues. This system aimed to prevent tyranny by rotating offices and requiring public participation, although it was limited to a subset of the population.