Cleisthenes biography. Vasilisa Yaviks - intelligent search engine

The history of Athens, like many other cities, was not without conspiracies and coups. was subject to changes periodically. Its final formation occurred during the reign of Cleisthenes. It was he who struck a blow at the ruling clan nobility. He actually remade Athens. As a result of his reforms, a democratic society was formed. Solon also made a significant contribution to the structure of the political system. Next, we will examine in more detail exactly what transformations were made by these people. The article will also give characteristics of Athens at that time.

The situation at the beginning of the 6th century BC. e.

It was quite complicated. The free population gradually stratified. This process was due to the development of commodity-money turnover. In a free environment, contradictions began to arise between the impoverished and rich eupatriads. The former still held power. A layer of rich people emerged from artisans, traders and landowners. They sought power by exploiting the discontent of small and medium-sized owners, as well as members of the poor. To soften the contradictions and unite all free people into one dominant layer, radical transformations were required. They were started by Solon, the archon elected in 594 BC. e. The main goal of his reforms was to reconcile the interests of existing warring free associations. Thanks to his activities, the Athenian land was cleared of debt obligations. From the previous constitution, he retained only some of the provisions. And everything else was cancelled.

Solon paid special attention to law. Thus, foreigners who settled in Attica with property and families received citizenship. The entire population was generally divided into 4 classes. Inequality was compensated by the distribution of taxes. The last class was exempt from paying completely. Representatives of other classes held corresponding positions and paid taxes according to their condition. The rights of citizens corresponded to their rank. Solon also proclaimed an amnesty. Everyone said goodbye except murderers and traitors. Through his actions, he tried to combine justice and force. The established democracy existed for another three centuries. And during this time I never had to repeat what Solon did. However, this does not mean that there was no need for transformations. Years later, new changes occurred in the life of Attica. Cleisthenes' reforms were of great importance for the political and social system.

Change of power

The history is very eventful. After the death of Pisistratus, power passed to his sons: Hipparchus and Hippias. However, the first devoted himself to art and literature. Hippias took up government affairs. The regime that existed under Pisistratus became more severe. In 514 BC. A conspiracy arose in Athenian aristocratic society. His goal was to eliminate tyranny. Two conspirators - Aristogeiton and Garmdiy - attempted to deal with the rulers at the festival. However, they only managed to kill Hipparchus. Hippias, who survived, brought down brutal reprisals on his opponents. At that time, many Athenians had to leave their homeland. The memory of Aristogeiton and Harmodia was revered by democrats for a long time.

Foreign policy situation

The position that Hippias occupied was quite difficult. It was accompanied by foreign policy difficulties. By 519 BC. e. Plataea, a Boeotian border city, was annexed to Athens. As a result, there was a break with the Thebans. During the same period, Argos, a longtime ally of Pisistratus, weakened significantly. But hostile Sparta, on the contrary, strengthened and strengthened its position. Among other things, Athens lost control over the straits, which came into the possession of the Achaemenids.

Complication of the situation

The power of the Pisistratids was resisted by the leaders of trade and craft societies and the clan nobility. The brothers' opponents had the support of the aristocratic circles of Sparta, who also had great influence. In 510 BC. The Spartans burst into the city and expelled Hippias.

Power struggle

After the expulsion of Hippias, a confrontation began between the Paralias and the Eupatriades. At the head of the nobility was Isagoras. It was he who was supported by Cleomenes, the Spartan king. As a result of the confrontation, Cleisthenes was expelled from the city. He belonged to the Alcmaeonids, who back in the 7th century BC. were cursed. The reason was the struggle of the representatives of the clan with the usurper Quilon, during which sacrilege was committed against the sacred temple. With Cleisthenes, another 700 families of his supporters were forced to leave the city. By placing Isagoras at the head of the board, the Spartans wanted to restore the power of the family nobility. However, the population of Attica showed discontent. Athens quickly filled with peasants, who, together with city residents, locked both the Spartans and their local supporters on the Acropolis. As a result, the Eupatrides had to surrender, and Cleomenes was forced to leave the city. Cleisthenes returned and was elected, like Solon in his time, as the first archon. This event took place in 508 (507) BC. e. At that time his age was about 60 years.

Transformations from 508 BC e.: administrative division

These reforms of Cleisthenes are considered the most important of all. All citizens of Attica were divided into new phyles. Before this, there were only 4 of them. Each phylum included 3 phratries. The latter were led by representatives of a noble family. They were in charge of the cult affairs of the phratries. Their ordinary members were obliged to submit to the political and religious authority of the nobility and provide them with support in their undertakings. Cleisthenes' reforms completely broke the old structure. He divided the territory into three districts. Now Attica included a city, a coastal strip and a flat area. Each district had its own division. Now its territory included ten smaller regions. They were called trittiums. Next, ten phyla were formed. Each of them included one trittiya from the district. The unification of fils took place only during the voting period. 50 people were promoted to the Bule (now it was, accordingly, the Council of 500), one at a time to the College of 10 strategists (each of whom in turn performed the tasks of the chief commander). Three detachments were also formed for the army: horsemen, infantrymen and sailors. These administrative reforms of Cleisthenes, as Aristotle put it, contributed to the “mixing” of the people. The main direction of the reforms was the suppression of eupatrids. Only religious functions were assigned to the former clan phyla. This was, in general, the political system of Athens.

Dem

It was the main administrative, political and economic unit. There were about a hundred demos. These were self-governing communities that had their own assembly, treasury, and court. They also had an elected headman - a demarch. He had fairly broad police and administrative powers. The Demarch was in charge of collecting taxes, monitoring birth lists and mobilizing young representatives. Members were determined by lot. A special place was occupied by the law of Ancient Athens. When compiling demo lists, a large number of tags were included. These were descendants of settlers with limited rights and freedmen. This, in turn, contributed to the increase in population. The fact is that the demes included in the lists were endowed with civil rights.

Ostracism

The law of Ancient Athens also underwent changes. During the reforms, the role of jury courts, boule courts and the People's Assembly was restored. Through these institutions it was possible to defend one's rights. Moreover, every citizen could do this if necessary. Cleisthenes' laws were mainly directed against tyranny. One of these was the act of ostracism. As this law of Cristhenes stated, every year the People's Assembly needed to decide the most important issue. Its essence was to identify a person in the city who stood out with his authority so much that he could easily seize power into his own hands. If the first meeting considered that such a citizen existed in the city, then a second meeting was convened. The procedure of ostarism ("ostracon" - crock) was carried out on it. The Athenians present at the meeting could write the name of the most dangerous person on the shard. He could become a successful commander, a famous politician, and so on. It must be said that this could very well have been an ordinary worthy citizen who had not stained himself. Nevertheless, the People's Assembly could consider him dangerous for the city. Such a citizen was expelled from the policy for ten years. His family and property remained in the city. After his return, he immediately regained his rights. These were the main reforms of Cleisthenes in brief.

Triumph of democracy

Cleisthenes' reforms in Athens displeased the coalition of Greek countries. In these territories, power was in the hands of the nobility, who, of course, feared a “bad example” for their inhabitants. The coalition consisted of Aegina, Sparta, Thebes and Chalkis. The Alcmaeonids tried to gain support from the Persians. They were even ready to agree to recognition of the supreme power of their king. But the population of Attica was categorically against the ratification of the agreement. As a result, in 506 BC. Coalition troops invaded Athenian territories. However, they suffered a crushing defeat. The Athenians were not only able to repel the attack, but also cross over to Euboea and take possession of Chalkis. As a result, democracy triumphed.

Finally

These are the reforms of Solon and Cleisthenes in brief. These two people lived at different times. However, the activities of both of them were of great importance for Attica. and Cleisthenes contributed to the streamlining of the political, social and administrative structure.

The democratic political system in Athens was finally formed under the famous ruler Cleisthenes, who dealt a powerful blow to the dominance of the old clan nobility.

After the death of Pisistratus, his sons Hippias and Hipparchus took power into their own hands. In fact, Hippias was in charge of government affairs, while Hipparchus devoted himself to literature and art. The regime became more severe. In 514 BC. e. A conspiracy arose among the Athenian aristocrats, the goal of which was to overthrow tyranny. Two conspirators - Harmodius and Aristogeiton - attempted to kill Hippias and Hipparchus during the Panathenaic festival, but only Hipparchus was killed. The memory of Harmodius and Aristogeiton as fighters against tyranny was long honored by Athenian democrats. The survivor, Hippias, unleashed brutal repression on the heads of his opponents. During this period, many Athenians left their homeland.

Hippias' position was complicated by foreign policy difficulties. In 519 BC. e. Athens annexed the border Boeotian city of Plataea to its possessions. This led to a break with the Thebans. At the same time, Argos, the old ally of Pisistratus, is weakening, and aristocratic Sparta, hostile to him, is strengthening. To top it all off, Athens lost control of the straits, which fell into the hands of the Persian Achaemenid power.

The power of the Pisistratids was opposed by the clan nobility and the leaders of the trade and craft circles, the leaders of the Alcmaeonid Paralia. Opponents of the tyrant brothers enlisted the support of aristocratic Sparta and the influential Delphic oracles. In 510 BC. e. The Spartans entered the city, and the tyrant was expelled from Athens.

And immediately a struggle began between the Eupatrides and the Paralias. The nobility was led by Isagoras, and it was he who, naturally, was supported by the Spartan king Cleomenes. The leader of the Paralia party, Cleisthenes, was now expelled from Athens, explaining this by “cleansing the city of filth.” The fact is that Cleisthenes belonged to the Alcmaeonids, who were cursed back in the 7th century. BC e., because in the fight against the usurper Kilon, representatives of the clan committed sacrilege against the sacred temple. Together with Cleisthenes, another 700 families of his supporters were forced to leave the city. The Spartans tried to restore the power of the family aristocracy by placing Isagoras at the head of the state. But the inhabitants of Attica resisted. Peasants quickly flocked to Athens, who, in alliance with the townspeople, locked the Spartans and local supporters of Isagoras on the Acropolis. The Eupatrides were forced to surrender, Cleomenes left the city. Cleisthenes returned to Athens and was elected first archon, as Solon had once been. This happened in 508 (507) BC. e., he was about 60 years old.

The most important reform of Cleisthenes was the division of all citizens of Attica into new phyles. Before this, the entire people were divided into four phyla, each of which included three phratries. At the head of each phratry was a noble family in charge of its religious affairs. Ordinary members of the phratry were obliged to submit to the religious and political authority of the nobility, supporting it in all its enterprises. Cleisthenes broke this system. He divided the entire territory of Attica into three districts: the city, the central plain territory and the coastal strip. Each district was divided into ten smaller districts - trittium. Then ten phylas were formed, each of which included one trittiya from each district. The Philae united only during voting and nominated 50 people each to the transformed boule (accordingly, now it was the Council of Five Hundred), one person each to the new body - the College of Ten Strategists (who took turns serving as the commander-in-chief of the army), formed three detachments each (sailors, infantry and horsemen) for the Athenian army. Each of the ten phyla was named after one of the mythological heroes. The main feature of the new phyla was that its representatives lived in different places. Cleisthenes, as Aristotle put it, “mixed up the Athenian people.” Of course, the spearhead of this reform was directed against the eupatrids. The archonteponim left only religious functions to the old clan phyla.

The main political, economic and administrative unit was the dem (one or more villages or quarters of Athens), and trittii were divided into them. Under Cleisthenes there were about a hundred such demes. Dem was a self-governing community with its own assembly, court, treasury and elected head demarch with broad administrative and police powers. Here lists of those born were compiled, the demarches were in charge of collecting taxes and mobilizing young members of the deme. In the deme, the members of the jury were determined by lot. Being included in the deme lists automatically led to the acquisition of civil rights. By the way, when compiling the lists of demotes, many metics (limited rights of descendants of immigrants) and freedmen were included there, which increased the number of Athenian citizens.

Under Cleisthenes, the importance of the People's Assembly, boules and jury trials was restored, through which every citizen could defend his rights. The most important law against tyranny was, perhaps, the law on ostracism adopted precisely under Cleisthenes. According to it, the People's Assembly was convened annually to resolve an important question: is there a person among the Athenians who stands out with his authority so much that he can seize sole power. If the meeting believed that there was, a second meeting was appointed to carry out the procedure of ostracism (from “ostracon” - crock). Each Athenian present at the ecclesia could write on a clay shard the name of the most dangerous person, in his opinion. It could be a successful commander, a popular politician, etc.; Moreover, this could, in principle, be a completely worthy citizen who has not stained himself in any way. But the People's Assembly had the right to decide that he was dangerous to civil freedom. An Athenian who was ostracized by a majority vote was expelled from the polis for a period of ten years without confiscation of property. His family remained in the city, and upon his return he immediately received his civil rights back.

Democratic Athens was opposed by a coalition of Greek states, where power still belonged to the nobility, who feared the “bad example” of Attica for their people. The coalition included Thebes, Sparta, Chalkis and Aegina. The Alcmaeonids tried to find support from the Persians and even agreed to recognize the supreme power of the Persian king, but the people of Attica categorically refused to ratify such an agreement. In 506 BC. e. Allied troops invaded Attica. But the Athenians managed to inflict a crushing defeat on them. Moreover, they crossed over to the island of Euboea and took possession of Chalkis there. Democracy has triumphed.

1) the last tyrant of the city of Sicyon; 2) his grandson, an Athenian, who called on the Spartan king Cleomenes to expel the Peisistratids. Under Cleisthenes, the democratic constitution of Athens spread to the detriment of aristocratic institutions.

Great definition

Incomplete definition ↓

CLEISTHENES

1. the last tyrant of Sicyon, a descendant of Orthagoras, belonged to the tribe of the Aegialians, covering the population that was there before the Dorians. He renamed the Aegialaeans as Archelaians and at the same time abolished the privileges of the three Dorian tribes - Gylaeans, Pamphylians, Dimanians and gave them the name of Hyates, Oneates and Choireates (deriving them from ???, o????? and ????? ??, pig, donkey and piglet), probably not only as a mockery, but also in order to direct them to engage in agriculture ( Hdt. 5, 68), contrary to their worldly views and rules. Having established his power by suppressing the counter-revolution, he continued his opposition to pre-Rism, as a result of which he naturally turned Argos against himself. He patronized the cult of Dionysus, which was alien to the Dorians, and prohibited public readings of Homer's rhapsodes because Homer glorifies Argos and the aristocracy. Hdt. 5, 67. In the Crissian war, he was one of the leaders (Ol. 47, 3 = 590 BC) and built a magnificent colonnade for military spoils. He generally loved brilliance and splendor. This is especially evident from the reception of the suitors wooing his daughter Agarista, who finally went to Alcmaeonidas Megacles. Hdt. 6, 126-130. Soon, however, after 50 ol. he must have been overthrown. Thuc. 1, 18. Wed: O. Müller, Dorier, 1, 162. II, 60;

2. his grandson, the son of Megacles and Agarista, the Athenian K. The oracle of Pythia, grateful for the restoration of her burned temple, prompted the Spartans under the command of Cleomenes ( cm. Cleomenes, 1) expel the Pisistratids (510 BC); The Alcmaeonids returned, and K. joined the people's party, in contrast to Isagoras, a supporter of the aristocracy. Hdt. 5. 66. To crush the power of the aristocracy, he, with the consent of the Delphic oracle, destroyed 4 ancient phyla and divided Attica geographically into 10 phyla, named after the Attic heroes (????????, ??????? , ?????????, ???????, ?????????, ????????, ????????, ??? ??????? cm.??????, Demos), Hdt. 5, 62. 6, 123. The number of council members (?????????) was increased to 500 (50 from each phylum), - naukrari (shipowners' societies) to 50; The main task of these latter now became the supply and equipment of ships, while their previous occupations were transferred to the demarchs. Further, K. also increased the number of citizens, accepting meteks and foreigners, and introduced ostracism. A consequence of his innovations was also that officials began to be chosen from among the seekers by lot of beans (?? ????? ?????? ??????????), whereas before they were chosen by raising a hand (????????????). However, Isagoras, with the help of Cleomenes, managed to expel K. in 508, who yielded so as not to expose the city to the disasters of war. However, the violent reaction with which Cleomenes destroyed new institutions as if in a conquered city irritated the council and citizens ( cm.

Children %D1%81%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%82%5B>https:%E2%95%B1%E2%95%B1ru.wikipedia.org%E2%95%B1w%E2%95%B1index. php%E2%9D%93title%E2%95%90Megacles&action%E2%95%90edit&preload%E2%95%90%D0%A8:Preload/%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0 %B4%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B5&preloadparams%5B%5D%E2%95%90%7B%7B%D0%A3%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0 %B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F+%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80 %D1%82%D0%BE%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B0%7CQ13410600%7D%7D%0A"""Megacles"""+-+%0A==+%D0%9F%D1% 80%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F+==%0A%7B%7B%D0%BF%D1%80% D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F%7D%7D%0A%5B%5B%D0%9A%D0%B0% D1%82%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F:%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0 %B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%8F:%D0%A1%D0%B2%D1%8F%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C+%D1%81+%D1 %8D%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BC+%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8 %D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D1%85%7CQ13410600%5D%5D Megacles%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%82<=>%5B>https:%E2%95%B1%E2%95%B1www.wikidata.org%E2%95%B1wiki%E2%95%B1Q13410600<%5D<)+%7D" class="extiw" title="d:Q13410600">[d]

Biography

Fight against tyranny

The first mention of Cleisthenes (however, this cannot be considered completely proven) is contained in a fragment of an Athenian inscription with a list of archons, from which it follows that Cleisthenes was an archon in 525 BC. e. This contradicts the ancient tradition, according to which the Alcmaeonids were expelled by the tyrant Peisistratus and since then constantly fought against tyranny and leads scholars to assume that Cleisthenes, among other Alcmaeonids, was returned to Athens by Peisistratus, or rather by his sons Hippias and Hipparchus, and expelled again after the murder Hipparchus by Harmodius and Aristogeiton in 514 BC. e. From this moment on, the Alcmaeonids, led by Cleisthenes, really developed an active struggle against tyranny: they strengthened the town of Lipidria, and after a military defeat suffered there, they bribed the Delphic Oracle, who gave the order to the Spartans to liberate Athens. The command was carried out in 510 BC. e. with the active assistance of Athenian opponents of tyranny; The sources do not say anything about the specific role of Cleisthenes in the events, but it must have been significant.

Fighting Isagoras

In liberated Athens, a power struggle began between Cleisthenes and Isagoras, who was elected archon for 508/507. At the same time, Isagoras adhered to the oligarchic direction and relied on aristocratic “partnerships” (heteria), while Cleisthenes, in contrast to him, appealed to the masses and proposed a plan for broad democratic reforms. Isagoras, for his part, requested help from Sparta. The Spartan king Cleomenes I sent envoys demanding that the Athenians expel those stained with the “kilonov sin”; Cleisthenes fled secretly, but nevertheless Cleomenes came to Athens with a detachment and expelled 700 families, and even the bones of the dead were thrown out of their graves. After this, he tried to disperse the Council and transfer power into the hands of Isagoras and his 300 oligarch followers. The result was a general uprising; Cleomenes with the Spartans and oligarchs was besieged on the Acropolis and forced to retire; Isagoras left with him, and his followers (according to various reports) either left Athens in the same way or were killed. After this, Cleisthenes returned to the city and carried out a series of reforms that established Athenian democracy.

Cleisthenes' reforms

Territorial division

Cleisthenes destroyed the traditional division of Athens into four territorial clan districts - philae, which was the mainstay of influence of the clan nobility and its groups. The basis of the division was the “village” - dem; the demes were united into 30 trittii, and the trittii into 10 new phyla, cut up randomly and not having a continuous territory. Herodotus defines the initial number of demes as 100; then their number increased.

The demes were named either by the names of the localities they occupied, or by their mythical founders, or, finally, by the noble families that lived in one or another deme (for example, the deme of Philaidov). The Athenian now became a member of the civil collective not through belonging to a gens, but through belonging to a deme; in his deme, upon reaching adulthood (18 years old), he was included in the civil lists. In official documents he was called by the name of the deme (for example: Demetrius of Alopeka); it is believed that Cleisthenes sought to have this name supplant traditional patronymics. However, the name of the deme quickly lost connection with the actual place of residence and only reminded which deme his ancestors were assigned to under Cleisthenes.

The demes differed greatly in population and space, since in their formation Cleisthenes proceeded from the original division of Attica into settlements. The Dem enjoyed self-government in local affairs; Demes participated in government administration primarily through phyla.

Dem, with its demarch and other local authorities, with its general demotic assemblies, lands, cult, educated the citizen for activity in the wider national arena. It was not difficult for the legislator to introduce new citizens into the new divisions - foreigners and freedmen who settled in Attica.

Several demes made up the trittiya. There were 30 trittiums in total: 10 in the city and its surroundings, ten in Paralia (on the coast) and 10 in Mesogeia (the interior region of Attica). The trittia were distributed by lot among 10 phyla, so that in each phyle there was one trittia of the city, one trittia of Paralia and one of Mesogea. In this way, old clan-territorial ties were broken and the formation of parties like the Paedii, Paralii and Diacrii was prevented.

Cleisthenes' divisions can be traced back to the middle of the 4th century. AD (and then there were already 13 phylas and up to 200 demos). At the direction of the Pythia, 10 domestic heroes became patrons of the Cleisthenes phyla, who gave the phyla their names.

The reform of territorial division entailed the reform of the City Council. According to the constitution of Solon, the Council was formed by 100 people from each phylum, and thus represented the Council of Four Hundred. The new Council of Five Hundred consisted of 50 people from each phylum, elected in demes; the entire composition of the council was divided during the year into 10 sections (prytanias) according to phyla; the official boards usually consisted of 10 magistrates, one from each phylum; 6,000 jury judges were also selected by phylum; the infantry was divided into 10 regiments, and the cavalry into 10 squadrons, etc. Thus, the basis of government was not a territorial, but a political unit.

Other reforms

Cleisthenes did not destroy the old clan divisions of Attica; clans, phratries, Ionian phyles continued to exist after him. He even increased the number of phratries, changing their personnel: in addition to the ancient clans, they included members of religious associations who did not belong to the clans; all frators were united by the cults of Zeus the phratry and Athena the phratry. Belonging to a phratry determined the rights and title of an Athenian citizen until the age of 18. However, these clan divisions ceased to play a political role.

Cleisthenes also created a college of 10 military leaders - strategists (1 from each phylum), into whose hands in subsequent years all military power passed from the polemarch archon; Unlike the archons, to which only representatives of the two highest property classes were elected, representatives of all classes could become strategists, except for the last one - the fetes.

To prevent new attempts to seize tyrannical power, Cleisthenes introduced ostracism.

Result

The reforms of Cleisthenes completed the unification of Attica, begun, according to legend, by Theseus, and the formation of an organic whole from disparate and warring population groups. According to Aristotle, Cleisthenes made Athens more democratic, and Herodotus puts in a causal connection with the Cleisthenes’ organization of the republic the successes of the Athenians that soon followed in the wars with the Boeotians and Chalcidians: under the yoke of tyrants they were careless, “because, as if they worked for the master, and then, when they became free, they willingly got down to business, pursuing their own benefits” (V, 78).

Notes

Literature

Fight against tyranny

The first mention of Cleisthenes (however, this cannot be considered completely proven) is contained in a fragment of an Athenian inscription with a list of archons, from which it follows that Cleisthenes was an archon in 525 BC. e. This contradicts the ancient tradition, according to which the Alcmaeonids were expelled by the tyrant Peisistratus and since then constantly fought against tyranny and leads scholars to assume that Cleisthenes, among other Alcmaeonids, was returned to Athens by Peisistratus, or rather by his sons Hippias and Hipparchus, and expelled again after the murder Hipparchus by Harmodius and Aristogiton in 514 BC. e. From this moment on, the Alcmaeonids, led by Cleisthenes, really developed an active struggle against tyranny: they strengthened the town of Lipidria, and after a military defeat suffered there, they bribed the Delphic Oracle, which gave the order to the Spartans to liberate Athens. The command was carried out in 510 BC. e. with the active assistance of Athenian opponents of tyranny; The sources do not say anything about the specific role of Cleisthenes in the events, but it must have been significant.

Fighting Isagoras

In liberated Athens, a power struggle began between Cleisthenes and Isagoras, who was elected archon for 508/507. At the same time, Isagoras adhered to the oligarchic direction and relied on aristocratic “partnerships” (heteria), while Cleisthenes, in contrast to him, appealed to the masses and proposed a plan for broad democratic reforms. Isagoras, for his part, requested help from Sparta. The Spartan king Cleomenes sent envoys demanding that the Athenians expel those stained by the “kilonov sin”; Cleisthenes fled secretly, but nevertheless Cleomenes came to Athens with a detachment and expelled 700 families, and even the bones of the dead were thrown out of their graves. After this, he tried to disperse the Council and transfer power into the hands of Isagoras and his 300 oligarch followers. The result was a general uprising; Cleomenes with the Spartans and oligarchs was besieged on the Acropolis and forced to leave; Isagoras left with him, and his followers (according to various reports) either also left Athens or were killed. After this, Cleisthenes returned to the city and carried out a series of reforms that established Athenian democracy.

Cleisthenes' reforms

Territorial division

The demes were named either by the names of the localities they occupied, or by their mythical founders, or, finally, by the noble families that lived in one or another deme (for example, the deme of Philaidov). The Athenian now became a member of the civil collective not through belonging to a gens, but through belonging to a deme; in his deme, upon reaching adulthood (18 years old), he was included in the civil lists; in official documents he was called by the name of the deme (for example: Demetrius of Alopeka); it is believed that Cleisthenes sought to have this name supplant traditional patronymics. However, the name of the deme quickly lost connection with the actual place of residence and only reminded which deme his ancestors were assigned to under Cleisthenes.

Several demes made up the trittiya; in total there were 30 trittiums: 10 in the city and its surroundings, ten in Paralia (on the coast) and 10 in Mesogeia (the interior region of Attica). The trittia were distributed by lot among 10 phyla, so that in each phyle there was one trittia of the city, one trittia of Paralia and one of Mesogea. In this way, old clan-territorial ties were broken and the formation of parties like the Paedii, Paralii and Diacrii was prevented.

Other reforms

Cleisthenes did not destroy the old clan divisions of Attica; clans, phratries, Ionian phyles continued to exist after him. He even increased the number of phratries, changing their personnel: in addition to the ancient clans, they included members of religious associations who did not belong to the clans; all gg frators were united by the cults of Zeus the phratry and Athena the phratry. Belonging to a phratry determined the rights and title of an Athenian citizen until the age of 18. However, these clan divisions ceased to play a political role.

Cleisthenes also created a college of 10 military leaders - strategists (1 from each phylum), into whose hands in subsequent years all military power passed from the archon-polemarch; Unlike the archons, to which only representatives of the two highest property classes were elected, representatives of all classes could become strategists, except for the last one - the fetov.

To prevent new attempts to seize tyrannical power, Cleisthenes introduced ostracism.

Result

Ostwald M. Reforms of Cleisthenes // Persia, Greece and the Western Mediterranean c. 525-479 BC e. Ed. J. Boardman et al. Trans. from English A. V. Zaikova. M.: Ladomir, 2011. pp. 368-416. (Series: The Cambridge History of the Ancient World. Vol. IV) - ISBN 978-5-86218-496-9
Sheffer V. Athenian citizenship and the people's assembly. M., 1891. I, pp. 310-432.
Francotle L'organisation de la cité athénienne et la reforme de Clisthènes. Paris, 1893.
Hug. Studien aus dem class. Alterth. I, Freiburg, 1881.
Schoell. Ueber die Kleisth. Phratrien. 1890.

Cleisthenes biography. Vasilisa Yaviks - intelligent search engine

The situation at the beginning of the 6th century BC. e.

Change of power

Foreign policy situation

Complication of the situation

Power struggle

Transformations from 508 BC e.: administrative division

Dem

Ostracism

Triumph of democracy

Finally

CLEISTHENES

Biography

Fight against tyranny

Fighting Isagoras

Cleisthenes' reforms

Territorial division

Other reforms

Result

Notes

Literature

Links

Encyclopedic YouTube

Subtitles

Fight against tyranny

Fighting Isagoras

Cleisthenes' reforms

Territorial division

Other reforms

Result