athenians
n. plural-only C1 Advanced US //əˈθiniənz// athe·ni·ans
n. the people who lived in the ancient city of Athens in Greece. They are famous for starting democracy and for their contributions to art and philosophy.
n. the inhabitants of the ancient city-state of Athens. Often used in historical or literary contexts to refer to the citizens of the classical period.
The Athenians were known for their love of philosophy.
Historians study how the Athenians managed to build the Parthenon during a time of great political change.
The democratic reforms introduced by the Athenians in the fifth century BCE served as a foundational model for modern representative governments, though their system excluded women and slaves from the voting process.