<P> Pericles was a great speaker; this quality brought him tremendous success in the Assembly, presenting his vision of politics . One of his most popular reforms was to allow thetes (Athenians without wealth) to occupy public office . Another success of his administration was the creation of the misthophoria (μισθοφορία, which literally means paid function), a special salary for the citizens that attended the courts as jurors . This way, these citizens were able to dedicate themselves to public service without facing financial hardship . With this system, Pericles succeeded in keeping the courts full of jurors (Ath . Pol. 27.3), and in giving the people experience in public life . As Athens' ruler, he made the city the first and most important polis of the Greek world, acquiring a resplendent culture and democratic institutions . </P> <P> The sovereign people governed themselves, without intermediaries, deciding matters of state in the Assembly . Athenian citizens were free and only owed obedience to their laws and respect to their gods . They achieved equality of speech in the Assembly: the word of a poor person had the same worth as that of a rich person . The censorial classes did not disappear, but their power was more limited; they shared the fiscal and military offices but they did not have the power of distributing privileges . </P> <P> The principle of equality granted to all citizens had dangers, since many citizens were incapable of exercising political rights due to their extreme poverty or ignorance . To avoid this, Athenian democracy applied itself to the task of helping the poorest in this manner: </P> <Ul> <Li> Concession of salaries to public functionaries . </Li> <Li> To seek and supply work to the poor . </Li> <Li> To grant lands to dispossessed villagers . </Li> <Li> Public assistance for war widows, invalids, orphans and indigents . </Li> <Li> Other social help . </Li> </Ul>

Who wasn't allowed to vote in athens