"Ostracism was a uniquely Athenian system. Recognizing that it would be difficult to prove before a court that a particular individual posed a threat to democracy, Cleisthenes devised a system by which, if a sufficient number of people believed it to be so, the individual concerned could be banished for ten years." (Ancient Athens, p. 28)

"While an Athenian father would normally bring up all his sons as a civic duty, he might dispose of an unwanted daughter. Killing a baby was unlawful, but exposing a new-born baby to die was not forbidden." (Ancient Athens, p. 32)

"The Greeks had great respect for old people, and sons were legally obliged to care for their aging parents. When parents died the sons were also compelled by law to give them a proper funeral." (Ancient Athens, p. 42)

"Ancient Greek religion was polytheistic. Twelve main deities (the pantheon) were familiar to all Greeks...