Cleisthenes Essay :: essays research papers fc

What reforms did Cleisthenes introduce and what were his likely motives for them. Cleisthenes, the son of Megakles, began work on the constitution of Attica (Athens). Unlike Solon, he left no writings to describe himself, so he remains a vague figure. Unlike Solon, Cleisthenes did not receive any clear directions on reform. His achievements were made through the assembly, the government body made up of all the citizens with the responsibility of passing laws. As the head of a rich and aristocratic clan, his main motives may have been to acquire political power for himself and his noble followers as well as a military purpose and democracy. Cleisthenes' methods allied him firmly with the ordinary citizen and took Attica a long step further on the road to democracy. Democracy was supposed to have begun in Attica after the last major faction fight of the 6th century B.C. This fight was between Isagoras and Cleisthenes. To ensure his position, Cleisthenes reformed the tribal system and introduced the council of five hundred. Again, he did not aim to introduce democracy; rather his aim was most likely to overcome his regional rival, Isagoras. His reforms that were placed in were that the country was divided into 10 new tribes, also know as plylae, on a regional basis, with sections of the 3 classes in each. Each tribe with 3 trittyes (one from the city (asty), one from the coast (paralia), and one from inland (mesogaia)) was composed of new units called demes. In the countryside these were villages, while in Attica itself they were divisions of the city. (Source: Bradley, 1998) Old clans and noble families now possessed far less political significance because they were now able to control only one-third of each tribe. Citizenship was now based on locality, with citizenship being granted to metics and other aliens resident in and around Attica. The tribes were roughly equal in number. They usually contributed soldiers for the army. Usually each tribe contributed a regiment of hoplites and a squadron of military. This action served to reinforce tribal loyalty. Commanding the army was the 10 strategoi, or referred to as generals. These 10 generals were, at first, under the control of the Polemarch but later were to become the chief magistrates. The boule was also enlarged to five hundred, 50 from each tribe, divided into 10 committees of 50, called prytanies. Each committee was in charge of administration and government for a month, so that more people were now directly involved in government. Cleisthenes Essay :: essays research papers fc What reforms did Cleisthenes introduce and what were his likely motives for them. Cleisthenes, the son of Megakles, began work on the constitution of Attica (Athens). Unlike Solon, he left no writings to describe himself, so he remains a vague figure. Unlike Solon, Cleisthenes did not receive any clear directions on reform. His achievements were made through the assembly, the government body made up of all the citizens with the responsibility of passing laws. As the head of a rich and aristocratic clan, his main motives may have been to acquire political power for himself and his noble followers as well as a military purpose and democracy. Cleisthenes' methods allied him firmly with the ordinary citizen and took Attica a long step further on the road to democracy. Democracy was supposed to have begun in Attica after the last major faction fight of the 6th century B.C. This fight was between Isagoras and Cleisthenes. To ensure his position, Cleisthenes reformed the tribal system and introduced the council of five hundred. Again, he did not aim to introduce democracy; rather his aim was most likely to overcome his regional rival, Isagoras. His reforms that were placed in were that the country was divided into 10 new tribes, also know as plylae, on a regional basis, with sections of the 3 classes in each. Each tribe with 3 trittyes (one from the city (asty), one from the coast (paralia), and one from inland (mesogaia)) was composed of new units called demes. In the countryside these were villages, while in Attica itself they were divisions of the city. (Source: Bradley, 1998) Old clans and noble families now possessed far less political significance because they were now able to control only one-third of each tribe. Citizenship was now based on locality, with citizenship being granted to metics and other aliens resident in and around Attica. The tribes were roughly equal in number. They usually contributed soldiers for the army. Usually each tribe contributed a regiment of hoplites and a squadron of military. This action served to reinforce tribal loyalty. Commanding the army was the 10 strategoi, or referred to as generals. These 10 generals were, at first, under the control of the Polemarch but later were to become the chief magistrates. The boule was also enlarged to five hundred, 50 from each tribe, divided into 10 committees of 50, called prytanies. Each committee was in charge of administration and government for a month, so that more people were now directly involved in government.