Cleisthenes

English > Greek (Woodhouse)

Κλεισθένης, -ους, ὁ.

Wikipedia EN

1. Cleisthenes, the reformer of ancient Athens. Cleisthenes (/ˈklaɪsθɪniːz/ KLYS-thin-eez; Greek: Κλεισθένης), or Clisthenes (c. 570 – c. 508 BC), was an ancient Athenian lawgiver credited with reforming the constitution of ancient Athens and setting it on a democratic footing in 508 BC. For these accomplishments, historians refer to him as "the father of Athenian democracy." He was a member of the aristocratic Alcmaeonid clan. He was the younger son of Megacles and Agariste making him the maternal grandson of the tyrant Cleisthenes of Sicyon. He was also credited with increasing the power of the Athenian citizens' assembly and for reducing the power of the nobility over Athenian politics.
2. Cleisthenes of Sicyon, the ancient tyrant of Sicyon. Cleisthenes was the tyrant of Sicyon from c. 600–560 BC, who aided in the First Sacred War against Kirrha that destroyed that city in 595 BC. He was also said to have organized a successful war against Argos because of his anti-Dorian feelings. After his victory he abolished all the rhapsodes of Homer, because they praised the citizens of Argos. The key innovation of his reign, which Herodotus mentions, was the reformation of the tribal system in the city of Sicyon. Herodotus states that he gave new names to the four tribes of Sicyon, calling his own tribe "Rulers of the People" and naming the other three tribes after swine, donkeys, and pigs. However, Herodotus does not describe the nature of Cleisthenes' reform. Whatever it was, all the tribes kept their new names for sixty years after Cleisthenes' death.
3. Cleisthenes (son of Sibyrtius), an Athenian theoros satirized by Aristophanes. Cleisthenes, also Clisthenes or Kleisthenes, was a prominent Athenian delegate (theoros) during the Peloponnesian War (431 BC). The comedian Aristophanes used him frequently as the butt of jokes and as a character in his plays, ridiculing him for his sexual tastes. He is notably mentioned in The Frogs, The Clouds, Lysistrata, and Thesmophoriazusae.

Translations

af: Kleisthenes; als: Kleisthenes; ar: كليسثنيس; arz: كليسثنيس; be: Клісфен; bg: Клистен; br: Kleisthenes; ca: Clístenes; cs: Kleisthenés; de: Kleisthenes; el: Κλεισθένης; en: Cleisthenes; eo: Klisteno; es: Clístenes; et: Kleisthenes; fa: کلئیستنس; fi: Kleisthenes; fr: Clisthène; gl: Clístenes de Atenas; he: קלייסתנס; hu: Kleiszthenész; hy: Կլիսթենես; id: Kleisthenes; is: Kleisþenes; it: Clistene; ja: クレイステネス; ka: კლისთენე; kk: Клисфен; ko: 클레이스테네스; la: Clisthenes; nl: Clisthenes; no: Kleisthenes;: Klejstenes; pt: Clístenes; ro: Clistene; ru: Клисфен; sh: Klisten; simple: Cleisthenes; sk: Kleisthenes; sl: Klejsten; sr: Клистен из Атине; sv: Kleisthenes; ta: கிளீசுத்தனீசு; tr: Kleisthenis; uk: Клісфен; ur: قلیستھانس; vec: Clisten; zh: 克里斯提尼