Cleruchy

A cleruchy, in Hellenic Greece, was the result of the exportation of excess and generally impoverished populations to colonies or special settlements of citizens. Under the cleruchy arrangement, the participating citizen received a plot of agricultural land, hence a means to earn his livelihood. The Athenian democracy benefited in three ways:

• The reduction of population pressure in Athens itself
• The overawing of recalcitrant allies, as the cleruchs formed miliary garrisons
• The appropriation of property to Athenian citizens