ostracism etymology

Etymology:

• Ancient Greek: ὀστρακισμός (ostrakismos)

Meaning:

• The practice of excluding or banishing a person from a community or group, typically by a vote of ostracism.

Origin:

Ostracism originated in ancient Athens as a political process. It was used to exile individuals who were deemed a threat to the stability and harmony of the city-state. The name comes from the Greek word "ostrakon," which means "potsherd."

During an ostracism vote, citizens would write the name of the person they wished to banish on a piece of pottery or an ostrakon. These ostraka were then collected and counted. If at least 6,000 votes were cast against a single individual, they were exiled for 10 years.

Ostracism served several purposes:

• Political control: It allowed the majority of citizens to remove powerful or influential individuals who were seen as a danger to their authority.
• Social harmony: It helped to prevent the rise of despots or tyrants by removing those who were seen as potentially disrupting the balance of power.
• Purification: Ostracism was also believed to have a religious dimension, as it was seen as a way to cleanse the city of potentially harmful elements.

Over time, ostracism became a common practice in other Greek city-states, as well as in ancient Rome and other societies. However, its use declined after the Roman Empire.

In modern usage, the term "ostracism" is often used in a more general sense to refer to the exclusion or rejection of a person from a social group or community.

ostracism relate terms

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