Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/493

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rONTIC HERAKLEIA. 4G1 fi prince of the ancient Persian family established as district ru- lers in Northern Kappadokia.^ Towards 380—370 b. c, the Herakleots became disturbed by violent party-contentions within the city. As far as we can di- vine from a few obscure hints, these contentions began among the oligarchy themselves ; ^ some of whom opposed, and partially threw open, a close political monopoly — yet not without a strug- gle, in the course of which an energetic citizen named Klear- chus was banished. Presently however the contest assumed larger dimensions ; the plebs sought admission into the constitu- tion, and are even said to have required abolition of debts with a redivision of the lands.3 A democratical constitution was es- tablished ; but it was speedily menaced by conspiracies of the rich, to guard against which, the classification of the citizens was altered. Instead of three tribes, and four centuries, all were dis- tributed anew into sixty-four centuries ; the tribes being discon- tinued. It would appear that in the original four centuries, the rich men had been so enrolled as to form separate military divis- ions (probably their rustic serfs being armed along with them) — while the three tribes had contained all the rest of the peo- ple ; so that the effect of thus multiplying the centuries was, to divest the rich of their separate military enrolment, and to dis- seminate them in many different regiments along with a greater number of poor.* Still however the demands of the people were not fully grant- ed, and dissension continued. Not merely the poorer citizens, but also the population of serfs — homogeneous, speaking the same language, and sympathizing with each other, like Helots cr The reign of Leukon lasted from about 392-352 b. c. The event alluded to by Polytenus must have occurred at some time during this interval. ' Justin, xvi. 4.

  • Aristot. V. 5, 2 : 5, 10. " Justin, xvi. 4.
  • yEneas, Poliorket. c. 11. I have given what seems the most probable

explanation of a very obscure passage. It is to be noted that the distribution of citizens into centuries {eKaToa Tver) prevailed also at Byzantium ; see Inscript. No. 20G0 ap. Boeck. Corp Inscr. Graic. p. 130. A citizen of Olbia, upon whom the citizenship of By zantium is conferred, is allowed to enroll himself in any one of the t/carjr Tver that he prefers. 39*