Ostracism was an Athenian democratic procedure in which any citizen could be expelled from the city-state of Athens for ten years. While some instances clearly expressed popular anger at the citizen, ostracism was often used preemptively. It was used as a way of neutralizing someone thought to be a threat to the state or a potential tyrant, though in many cases popular opinion often informed the expulsion. The word
"ostracism" continues to be used for various forms of shunning.
Ostraca from 482 BC voting in favor of ostracizing Themistocles
Bust of Themistocles, who was exiled via ostracism and fled to Argos around 471 or 472 BC, despite an impactful military career.
Example of a Greek Ostracon, suggesting the Ostracization of Themistocles, from the Stoà of Attalus Museum (482 BC).
Athenian democracy developed around the 6th century BC in the Greek city-state of Athens, comprising the city of Athens and the surrounding territory of Attica. Although Athens is the most famous ancient Greek democratic city-state, it was not the only one, nor was it the first; multiple other city-states adopted similar democratic constitutions before Athens. By the late 4th century BC, as many as half of the over one thousand existing Greek cities might have been democracies. Athens practiced a political system of legislation and executive bills. Participation was open to adult, free male citizens The metics probably constituted no more than 30 percent of the total adult population.
The relief representation depicts the personified Demos being crowned by Democracy. About 276 BC. Ancient Agora Museum.
Cleisthenes
The Constitution of Athens by Aristotle that details the constitution of Classical Athens.
Bust of Pericles, marble Roman copy after a Greek original from c. 430 BC
