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NOVA (1974)

S53E8 Athens: Birth of Democracy

Apr 29, 2026 Season 53 Episode 8 Documentary

Archaeological digs are uncovering the violent, chaotic birth of democracy in ancient Greece 2,500 years ago. Excavations of mass graves and the ruins where tyrants were assassinated reveal a brutal struggle for power. These findings shed startling new light on how a revolutionary system of government emerged from political murder and upheaval.