Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c5.8

v1.c5.8

The *dēmos* of Athens, however, was not a homogeneous body. It was divided into classes, and these classes were divided by economic interests. The *zeugitai* and the *thetes* were the backbone of the democracy, but they were not always in agreement. The *zeugitai* were the small farmers and artisans, who were interested in the stability of the state and the protection of their property. The *thetes* were the landless laborers, who were interested in the expansion of the empire and the distribution of the spoils of war.