Cleisthenes and the 10 Tribes of Athens

This article looks at some of the factors involved in the development of Athenian democracy through Cleisthenes' creation of the 10 tribes of Athens. Solon, a wise man, poet, and leader, made some necessary changes in the economics and government of Athens, but he also created problems that needed fixing. Cleisthenes' reforms were instrumental in converting earlier democratic tendencies into a governmental form we might recognize as democracy.

For the 4 tribes of early Athens, see Social Order of Ancient Athens.

In the 7th century B.C., economic crises coupled with attempted tyranny led to unrest in Athens. The Draconian law code was so severe that the word 'draconian' was named after him. In 594 B.C., Solon, a widely traveled aristocrat, was appointed sole archon to avert catastrophe in Athens.

Solon's Modest Social Reforms

While Solon enacted compromises and democratic reforms, he kept the social organization of Attica [see map of Greece] and the Athenians, the clans and tribes. Following the end of his archonship, political factions and conflict developed. One side, the men of the Coast (consisting mainly of the middle classes and peasants), favored his reforms. The other side, the men of the Plain (consisting mainly of Eupatrids 'nobles'), favored restoration of an aristocratic government.

• Solon's Reforms
• Solon's Constitution

Tyranny of Pisistratus (aka Peisistratos)

Pisistratus (6th C. - 528/7 B.C.*) took advantage of the unrest. He took control of the Acropolis in Athens by means of a coup in 561/0, but was deposed by the major clans soon after. That was only his first attempt. Backed by a foreign army and the new Hill party (composed of men not included in either the Plain or Coast parties), he took control of Attica as constitutional tyrant (c. 546). Pisistratus encouraged cultural and religious activities. He improved the Great Panathenaia, which had been reorganized in 566/5, adding athletic contests. He built a statue to Athena on the Acropolis and minted the first silver Athena owl coins. Pisistratus publicly identified with Heracles and especially with the help Heracles received from Athena. Pisistratus is credited with bringing rural festivals honoring the god of revelry, Dionysus, into the city, thereby creating the extremely popular Great Dionysia or the City Dionysia. He included tragedy (then a new literary form) in the festival, along with a new theater, and theatrical competitions. He gave a prize to the 1st writer of tragedies, Thespis (c. 534 B.C.). Anacreon of Teos and Simonides of Ceos sang for him. Trade flourished. Pisistratus' sons, Hipparchus and Hippias, followed him. Hipparchus favored the cult of Hermes, a god associated with small tradesmen, placing Herms along the roads. After Hipparchus' murder, Hippias was felt to be a despot.

See "Politics and Folktale in the Classical World," by James S. Ruebel. Asian Folklore Studies, Vol. 50, No. 1 (1991), pp. 5-33.

The exiled Alcmaeonids wanted to return to Athens, but couldn't so long as the Pisistratids were in power. By taking advantage of Hippias' growing unpopularity, and by gaining the support of the Delphic oracle, the Alcmaeonids forced the Pisistratids to leave Attica.

Cleisthenes vs. Isagoras

Back in Athens, the Eupatrid Alcmaeonids, led by Cleisthenes (c. 570 - c. 508 B.C.), allied with the mostly non-aristocratic Coast party. The Plain and Hill parties favored Cleisthenes' rival, Isagoras, from another Eupatrid family. Isagoras appeared to have the numbers and the upper hand, until Cleisthenes promised citizenship to those men who had been excluded from it.

Cleisthenes and the 10 Tribes of Athens

Cleisthenes won the bid for power. When he became chief magistrate, he had to face the problems Solon had created 50 years earlier through his compromising democratic reforms -- foremost among which was the allegiance of citizens to their clans. In order to break such loyalties, Cleisthenes divided the 140-200 demes (natural divisions of Attica) into 3 regions: city, coast, and inland. In each of the 3 regions, the demes were divided into 10 groups called trittyes. Each trittys was called by the name of its chief deme. He then disposed of the 4 birth-based tribes and created 10 new ones composed of one trittys from each of the 3 regions. The 10 new tribes were named after local heroes:

• Erechthesis
• Aegeis
• Pandianis
• Leontis
• Acamantis
• Oeneis
• Cecropis
• Hippothontis
• Aeantis
• Antiochis.

Council of 500

The Areopagus and archons continued, but Cleisthenes modified Solon's Council of 400 based on the 4 tribes. Cleisthenes changed it to a Council of 500 to which

• Each tribe contributed 50 members.
• Each deme contributed a number proportional to its size. Over time, each member came to be
  • Chosen by lot
  • From those citizens who were at least 30-years old, and then
  • Approved by the outgoing council.
• Instead of having the unwieldy 500 sitting day after day for the year of their office, each tribe sat on the administrative and executive council for 1/10 of the year.

These groups of 50 men were called prytanies. The Council could not declare war. Declaring war and vetoing recommendations of the Council were responsibilities of the Assembly of all citizens.

Cleisthenes and the Military

Cleisthenes reformed the military, as well. Each tribe was required to supply a hoplite regiment and a squadron of horsemen. A general from each tribe commanded these soldiers.

Ostraka and Ostracism

Information on the reforms of Cleisthenes is available through Herodotus (Books 5 and 6) and Aristotle (Athenian Constitution and Politics). The latter claims that Cleisthenes was also responsible for the institution of ostracism, which allowed the citizens to get rid of a fellow citizen whom they feared was getting too powerful, temporarily. The word ostracism comes from ostraka, the word for the potsherds on which the citizens wrote the name of their candidates for the 10-year exile.

Sources:

• J.B. Bury: A History of Greece
• (pages.ancientsites.com/~Epistate_Philemon/newspaper/cleis.html)
• Cleisthenes Recalled
• (www.pagesz.net/~stevek/ancient/lecture6b.html) The Athenian Origins of Direct Democracy
• (www.alamut.com/subj/artiface/deadMedia/agoraMuseum.html) Technology of Ancient Democracy

The 10 Tribes of Athens

Each tribe is composed of three trittyes: 1 from the Coast 1 from the City 1 from the Plain. Each trittys would have been named after the dominant deme. The numbers (1-10) are hypothetical.
Tribes	Trittyes Coast	Trittyes City	Trittyes Plain
1 Erechthesis	#1 Coast	#1 City	#1 Plain
2 Aegeis	#2 Coast	#2 City	#2 Plain
3 Pandianis	#3 Coast	#3 City	#3 Plain
4 Leontis	#4 Coast	#4 City	#4 Plain
5 Acamantis	#5 Coast	#5 City	#5 Plain
6 Oeneis	#6 Coast	#6 City	#6 Plain
7 Cecropis	#7 Coast	#7 City	#7 Plain
8 Hippothontis	#8 Coast	#8 City	#8 Plain
9 Aeantis	#9 Coast	#9 City	#9 Plain
10 Antiochis	#10 Coast	#10 City	#10 Plain

*'Aristotle' Athenaion politeia 17-18 says Pisistratus grew old and ill while in office, and died 33 years from his first time as tyrant.