The ecclesia or ekklesia (Greek: ἐκκλησία) was the principal assembly of the democracy of ancient Athens during its "Golden Age" (480–404 BCE). It was the popular assembly, opened to all male citizens with 2 years of military service by Solon in 594 BC meaning that all classes of citizens in Athens were able to participate, even the thetes. The ekklesia opened the doors for all citizens, regardless of class, to nominate and vote for magistrates—indirectly voting for the Areopagus—have the final decision on legislation, war and peace, and have the right to call magistrates to account after their year of office. In the 5th century BC their numbers amounted to about 43,000 people. However, only those wealthy enough to spend much of their time away from home would have been able to participate until Pericles' reforms in early 451–452 BCE allowing payment for jurors. The assembly was responsible for declaring war, military strategy, and electing strategoi and other officials. It originally met once every month, but later it met three or four times per month. The agenda for the ekklesia was established by the Boule, the popular council. Votes were taken by a show of hands.
A quorum of 6,000 was required sometimes to do business. The ekklesia elected by lot annually the Boule or council. Some of their power under Solon was delegated to the Court by Pericles in his reforms.
One of the most famous leaders of the ecclesia was a man by the name of Hammios Braydenos who actually seized power over the ecclesia for some time, because people always wanted to vote the way he did. However a man by the name of Arthace would challenge the rule of Braydenos, suggesting that what Braydenos said was relative. The two ended up having a duel, Braydenos triumphed only to die from poisoned wine a few days later. Since then, it was ruled that if one man gained too much power in the Ecclesia, they would be voted out, and exiled for ten years.
A gang of Scythian slaves, carrying ropes dipped in red ochre (miltos, hence Miltiades, i.e. the Red-Haired) would go through the city on the days the Ekklesia was to meet, and use their ropes to lash latecomers to the meeting. With garments thus stained, shamed citizens could legally carry out no business until they visited the meeting grounds of the Ekklesia on the hill called the Pnyx.