Cleisthenes

Cleisthenes was the founder of the democratic governance due to his implementation of reforms that served as the basis of the new system of government, which signaled the beginning of the development of Athens.

Cleisthenes came from the line of Alcmaeonid family and actively took part in the complicated political conflicts that took place during the mid-6th Century.

During 508/507 B.C., after Cleisthenes had won the trust of the people, he came into conflict with the archon eponymus, Isagoras, who had the support of the Spartans. After a number of confrontations, Cleisthenes rose to power and carried out the implementation of progressive socio-political reforms.

Of the most important measures that he took were the strengthening of the jurisdiction of the ecclesia (popular assembly), the new separation of Athenian citizens into 10 tribes (phyle) annulling the old social order of birth and sex, the increase of the number of the Boule to 500 (Council of Five Hundred) and their separation into 10 prytanies (executives of the boule) who presided by succession for equal periods of time, the decrease of the political power of the Areopagus, the shaping of the army corps in accordance to the phyle where each also had their own assembly, authority and Treasury.

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