New History of the Marathas v2.c24.76

v2.c24.76

the *dēmos* of the Athenians, and the *dēmos* of the other Greeks, were not the same. The Athenian *dēmos* was a political entity, a sovereign body of citizens, whereas the *dēmos* of other states was often a social class, the common people, frequently in conflict with the *oligoi* or the wealthy. Thucydides uses the term in both senses, but he is acutely aware of the difference. When he speaks of the *dēmos* in the context of the Athenian empire, he is often referring to the democratic faction in a subject city, which the Athenians supported as a means of maintaining control. This is a crucial distinction for understanding the dynamics of the Peloponnesian War.