If the population of Athens and its surrounding areas (let’s say around 450BC) stood at around 250,000-300,000 people and of this number only 30,000 would have been citizens (male, 18 years

If the population of Athens and its surrounding areas (let’s say around 450BC) stood at around 250,000-300,000 people and of this number only 30,000 would have been citizens (male, 18 years of age, and the sons of citizens) entitled to vote in the Assembly, then how democratic was Athens? In addition, at any one time it was entirely possible that a majority of those citizens were not in Athens. Aren’t we really talking about a minority in this democracy? The Athenians would probably have balked at our concept of “we the people” instead accepting “we the citizens.”

Just curious, did the Athenian or Spartan citizen have the right, or the duty, to take part in the political, economic and military affairs of their polis?