Editing Cleisthenes

'''Cleisthenes''' (Κλεισθένης, Kleisthénēs; Cleisthenes; /ˈklaɪsθɪniːz/), an Athenian noble, is sometimes celebrated as the ''father of Athenian '''democracy'''.'' His reforms, enacted after the fall of the tyranny in 510 BCE, laid the foundations for the development of democratic processes in Athens. His exact birth date is uncertain, but it is generally placed in the latter half of the 6th century BCE. He was a member of the '''Alcmaeonidae''' (Ἀλκμαιωνίδαι, Alkmaiōnídai; Alcmaeonidae; /alkmiːoʊnɪdaɪ/), a powerful noble family in Athens, strong supporters of '''[[Solon]]'''; he was also the maternal grandson of the tyrant '''Cleisthenes''' of '''Sicyon'''. 

The Alcmaeonidae were said to be cursed due to a sacrilege committed by an ancestor, yet they remained influential, with Cleisthenes’s uncle, '''[[Megacles]]''' (Μεγακλῆς, Megaklês; Megacles; /ˈmɛɡəkliːz/), having been involved in the expulsion of the last tyrant, '''[[Hippias]]''' (Ἱππίας, Hippías; Hippias; /ˈhɪpiəs/) and the Spartan pretender that followed.

When Cleisthenes was about 25 years old, '''[[Peisistratus]]''' came to power and his family were forced out of Athens; he could not return for two decades. When he did, he was made chief archon of the city from 525-524 BCE, according to a fragmentary '''archon''' list; after Peisistratus died in 527 BCE, his son and successor '''[[Hippias]]''' is believed to have tried to win back nobles who had been hostile to his father's tyranny, but it didn't work. In 508 BCE Hippias was finally forced to leave Attica, and while Spartans tried to supplant Alcmaeonidae influence by supporting the reactionary noble archon, '''[[Isagoras]]''', they failed; by 508 BCE Cleisthenes was finally in power in Athens. 

The political landscape that Cleisthenes entered was tumultuous, following the tyrannies of the Pisistradids; Athens was characterized by a struggle between various noble factions and the common people, or '''demos''' (δῆμος, dêmos; demos; /ˈdiːmɒs/), who were seeking greater political influence. The competing noble factions included <u>the Plain</u>, led by '''Lycurgus''' (Λυκοῦργος, Lykoûrgos; Lycurgus; /ˈlaɪkɜːrɡəs/), <u>the Coast</u>, led by '''Megacles''' (Cleisthenes' father), and <u>the Hill</u>, representing the broader population of Athens, formed originally by the tyrant '''Peisistratus'''.

* The Plains (Πεδιαῖοι, Pediaíoi; /pe.diˈai.oɪ/): This faction represented the interests of the aristocratic landowners from the plains of Attica. Specific figures or families associated with it are not known by name.

* The Coast (Παράλιοι, Parálioi; /paˈra.li.oɪ/): This faction included the people living along the coast of Attica, involved in trade and maritime activities. Megacles, a member of the powerful Alcmaeonid family, was a leading figure; Cleisthenes was Megacles' nephew. The Alcmaeonidae were instrumental in opposing the Peisistratids and later in supporting     Cleisthenes's democratic reforms.
* The Hill (Διακρίεις, Diakríeis; /ði.aˈkri.eɪs/): This faction represented the people of the hill regions of Attica, generally poorer and less influential than those of the Plains or the Coast. Peisistratus himself was initially a leader of the Hill faction before seizing power as a tyrant. His association with the Hill reflects his populist appeal to the less affluent Athenians, leveraging their support to establish his tyranny.

Cleisthenes’ most significant contribution to Athenian politics was a series of reforms enacted around 508 BCE. Key to these reforms was the reorganization of the Athenian citizen body from the traditional four family-based tribes into ten new '''tribes''', each named after a hero and each consisting of '''demes''' (δῆμοι, dêmoi; demes; /ˈdiːmoʊz/), local units from different parts of <u>Attica</u> (Ἀττική, Attikḗ; Attica; /ˈætɪkə/). This tribal system diluted the influence of the traditional noble-based factions by mixing citizens from various regions and social backgrounds, fostering a new sense of civic identity that transcended old allegiances.

It is thought that there may have been 139 '''demes''' (though this is still a matter of debate), organized into three groups called '''trittyes''' (thirds), with ten demes divided among three regions in each trittyes (a city region, '''asty'''; a coastal region, '''paralia'''; and an inland region, '''mesogeia''').

Cleisthenes also abolished patronymics in favor of demonyms (a name given according to the deme to which one belongs), thus increasing Athenians' sense of belonging to a deme. He also worked to include wealthy, male foreign citizens into Athenian society as legally privileged second-class residents; and he established '''sortition''', the random selection of citizens to fill government positions rather than relying on heredity or kinship ties to fill roles.

The primary aim was to break the power of the noble factions, protect against outsider intrusion (particularly from '''Sparta'''), and to give the common Athenian citizens a direct role in governance. 

This led to the establishment of the '''Council of Five Hundred''' (Βουλὴ τῶν Πεντακοσίων, Boulē tōn Pentakosíōn), which was responsible for administering the affairs of the polis. The council created by '''[[Solon]]''' was expanded to 500 members to allow for more inclusive representation; it was organized on the basis of ten tribes created by Cleisthenes, each contributing 50 members selected by lot from among their citizens, rather than on the basis of social class, as in Solon's time. 

Cleisthenes' Council of 500 had a more dynamic role compared to Solon's; it not only prepared legislation for the '''Assembly''' but also had broader administrative duties, including overseeing the treasury and managing foreign affairs. It functioned as the executive committee of the Assembly and was central to the day-to-day governance of Athens. The establishment of the Council of Five Hundred was a significant step towards a more inclusive and participatory democracy; by drawing members from all ten tribes and using lot selection, Cleisthenes ensured wider representation and diminished the dominance of aristocratic families in Athenian politics.

Another significant aspect of Cleisthenes’ reforms was the introduction of '''ostracism''' (ὀστρακισμός, ostrakismós; /o.stra.kisˈmos/), a procedure by which the polis could exile a citizen seen as a potential threat to the state for ten years. The first exercise of ostracism took place after Cleisthenes’ death, but it was his establishment of this mechanism that introduced a peaceful means to resolve internal conflicts without resorting to violence or tyranny. Cleisthenes also instituted changes to the legal and judiciary systems, enhancing the role of the '''heliaia''' (ἡλιαία, hēliaía; heliaia; /ˈhiːlɪaɪə/), the popular court where jurors were selected randomly from the citizen body, reducing the dominance of the aristocratic judges and giving ordinary citizens a direct role in the administration of justice.

The reforms of Cleisthenes were not just political but also cultural. By redefining the structure of the polis, he encouraged the concept of '''isegoria''' (ἰσηγορία, isēgoría; isegoria; /ˌaɪsɪˈɡɔːriə/), or equal speech, an essential aspect of democratic discourse that allowed all citizens the right to speak and contribute to debates in the assembly (ἐκκλησία, ekklēsía; /ɪˈklisiə/). Cleisthenes’ reforms can be seen as both radical and inclusive, significantly expanding the franchise and participation in the governance of Athens. His restructuring of the political system undermined the traditional kinship-based power structures and paved the way for the development of a more egalitarian and participatory political culture. However, Cleisthenes’ democracy was not without its limitations. Citizenship was still restricted to free-born male Athenians, excluding women, slaves, and '''metics''' (μέτοικοι, métokoi; resident foreigners; /ˈme.tɔɪ.kɔɪ/).

Cleisthenes called these reforms '''isonomia''' (equality under the law, iso- meaning equality; nomos meaning law), instead of '''demokratia'''. Cleisthenes' life after his reforms is unknown as no ancient texts mention him thereafter. While his reforms did diminish the influence of the aristocracy, they did not eliminate it entirely. Noble families, including his own, continued to wield significant influence in Athenian political and cultural life. It is also important to note that our understanding of Cleisthenes and his reforms is largely based on the work of later historians, such as '''Herodotus''' (Ἡρόδοτος, Hēródotos; Herodotus; /hɪˈrɒdətəs/) and '''Thucydides''' (Θουκυδίδης, Thoukydídēs; Thucydides; /θjuːˈsɪdɪdiːz/), who wrote with the benefit of hindsight and their own interpretive lenses. Their accounts, while invaluable, must be critically evaluated to understand the complex dynamics and motivations behind Cleisthenes’ actions.

There are no direct quotes from Cleisthenes preserved in the historical record. Unlike figures such as Solon, whose poetry and sayings have been passed down through history, Cleisthenes did not leave behind any writings or speeches that have been directly attributed to him. Our knowledge of Cleisthenes and his reforms comes primarily from later historians, especially Herodotus, who wrote about a century after Cleisthenes' time. While Herodotus and other ancient historians discuss Cleisthenes' actions and the effects of his reforms, they do not provide specific quotations that can be directly attributed to him.

This absence is partly due to the nature of historical documentation from the period, which often focused on the deeds of individuals rather than their spoken words, and the fact that Cleisthenes' contributions were more in the realm of political action and reform rather than literary or rhetorical output. As a result, while Cleisthenes' legacy is significant in terms of the development of Athenian democracy, our understanding of his personal thoughts, motivations, and expressions relies on interpretation of his political actions as recorded by others.
[[Category:Athens]]
[[Category:Archaic Greece]]
[[Category:Greek Law]]