10 Forgotten Historical Figures You Didn't Know Changed Your Life

If you love reality talent shows you have Cleisthenes to thank for the format. Conversely, if you hate reality talent shows you have Cleisthenes to blame. The very structure of voting and democracy and making a decisions by the voice of the people: Cleisthenes is the man to thank/blame.

Born into an aristocratic Athenian family in 570 BC, he held minor roles in government under the tyrant Hippias, until Hippias fell out with Cleisthenes' family and Cleisthenes was forced into exile.

He claimed support from the Oracle at Delphi to convince the Spartans to help him remove Hippias from power. Because the Spartans really need an excuse to fight.

With Hippias deposed there was a power struggle between two camps: Isagoras and Cleisthenes. Isagoras had greater military might, but Cleisthenes had the support of the people, possibly because of his proposed political reforms.

Instead of the city being ruled by a few well-off families, citizens were divided into tribes by locality, sort of like constituencies. Any man who registered as a citizen could participate in the boule, or council of 500, where decisions were made by voting. Citizens were selected randomly to fill government positions, like a jury pool.

This marks the first appearance of a democracy and would be the basis for all future republics.