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Cleisthenes: The First Citizenship In Athens

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Pericles was another very prominent figure in Athens during the fifth century. He was one of the more popular leaders and had a large amount of influence politically in Athens. Thucydides even goes on to describe him as the “first citizen” of Athens. In Athens, if you wanted to get a citizenship, it could only be done hereditarily in the male line. This means that you’d only get a citizenship only if you are a male and your father was a citizen of Athens. If these two criteria are met then as soon as you turn eighteen, you would be enrolled in your deme. Getting enrolled in your deme is the same as getting your citizenship and that would mean you that you became a citizen then. This tradition was not only followed in Athens, but was the case …show more content…

The democratic reformation that Cleisthenes brought about led to the creation of things such as the council and the assembly which was never seen working the way it did before in any time of history. For the very first time in history, because of Cleisthenes, the general people and the poor people in particular had a voice of their own. This was the first time they could voice their opinions in the government. Not just voice but also determine what and how the government should function. This was unheard of before Cleisthenes. The people could now dictate the rights they should and deserve to have and they could decide who they wanted their leaders to be. The government’s fate rested in the hands of the normal people. For the first time in history, the power was given to the people. This reformation can be marked as a turning page in history. It has, I believe, played a very big and substantial role in the evolution of what a democracy is. In fact, it might be the blue print of all democracies which exists now in the modern times. Yes, there are many a criticisms against Cleisthenes and his form of democracy but nothing is perfect and the seed was planted by Cleisthenes. It is as if Themistocles and Pericles were allowed to work and lead the way they did because of Cleisthenes. What amazes me is the fact that Cleisthenes came up with a revolutionary idea like this in those times: Standing up against the Aristocrats and creating his own reforms which gave the people all the power. This just goes on to show us what a true leader Cleisthenes was and I think it is safe to say that without Cleisthenes, the history of Athens would be written so differently

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