The Urban/Rural Divide in Athenian Political Thought

Contemporary analyses of Athenian democracy have focused on binaries such as mass/elite, free/slave, and male/female, overlooking the urban/rural divide. In this article, I argue that was a central cleavage in demos. Ancient thinkers including Thucydides, Aristophanes, Plato, Xenophon, Aristotle paid close attention to differences their consequences during fifth century. Plato particular developed sophisticated institutions strategies mitigate divisions. Attending divide deepens our understanding demos highlights importance attachments place, home, customary ways life for democratic stability.