Cleisthenes and the Birth of Democracy

What happened

The Athenian reformer Cleisthenes reorganized the citizen body into local units (demes) and ten new tribes, breaking the power of the old aristocratic families, and introduced ostracism. He is credited as the founder of Athenian democracy.

Why it matters

Cleisthenes created the world's first large-scale democracy, in which ordinary citizens shared directly in government — a landmark in political history.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Athenian Democracy · Reputable source