CLERUCHY, a kind of colony of Athenian citizens planted in a conquered country. The settlers retained their status as citizens of Athens, and their allotments were politically part of Attic soil. These settlements were of three kinds: (I) where the inhabitants were extirpated and the settlers occupied the whole territory; (2) where the settlers occupied allotments in the midst of a conquered people; and (3) where the inhabitants gave up portions of land to settlers in return for certain pecuniary con cessions. The primary object was unquestionably military, and in the later days of the Delian League (q.v.) the system was a precaution against disaffection on the part of the allies.
A secondary object of the cleruchies was to provide a source of livelihood to the poorer Athenians. Plutarch suggests that Pericles by this means rid the city of mischievous loafers ; but it would appear that the cleruchs were selected by lot, and a wise policy would not entrust important military duties to wastrels. In 5o years about 1o,000 cleruchs went out, so that the reduction of the citizen population was considerable.
The cleruchs were liable to military service and to that taxation which fell upon Athenians at home. They were not liable for the tribute paid by members of the Delian League ; this follows from their status as Athenian citizens. In internal government the cleruchs adopted the Boule and Assembly system of Athens itself ; so we read of Polemarchs, Archons eponumoi, Agoranomoi, Strategoi, in various places. With local self-government there was combined a certain central authority in jurisdiction; the more important cases, particularly those between a cleruch and a citizen at home, were tried before the Athenian dicasts.