Ostracism

a political institution of Athens. It was designed to protect the state against individuals who might seem to be acquiring too much influence, or who might be suspected of harboring designs for their own aggrandizement. It was directed particularly against leaders in civil strife. The measure is credited to the fertile brain of Cleisthenes. Yearly the ten tribes were given an opportunity to point out any man whom they deemed dangerous to the quiet of the city. A place in the agora was inclosed by barriers. Ten gates admitted the members of the ten tribes. The voters were handed ostraka, or bits of pottery on which to write the name of one whom the voter might wish to ostracise. The archon counted the ostraka. In case a name appeared on a majority of the tablets, provided this adverse vote was not less than 6,000, the ostracised obnoxious citizen was given ten days to leave the city. The period of exile was ten years. There was nothing dishonorable about ostracism. It did not involve forfeiture of goods or bonds, nor was it a banishment into barbarism; for there were many Greek cities of no little splendor with which Athens kept up close commercial relations. Among famous men ostracized were Themistocles, who built the long walls and established the Athenian naval power; Aristides, "the Just," and Cimmon, the son of Miltiades. A similar custom called petalism prevailed at ancient Syracuse. It was modeled on the ostracism of Athens, from which it differed chiefly in that the voter wrote on an olive leaf and the period of banishment was five years. The law of petalism was repressed 452 B. C. on the ground that it deterred worthy citizens from taking an active part in public affairs. The chances are, however, that some demagogue feared he might be shut out if the practice were continued. The law of ostracism is known to have been in force at other Greek cities, certainly at Argos and Megara, but details are wanting. See Ballot