Evidence  as  to  the  nature  and  composition  of  these
classes  is  to  be  found  in  both  the  authorities  for  the
period.  The  Paralii  or  men  of  the  coast  district  were
under  the  leadership  of  Megakles  the  son  of  Alkmaeon ;
while  the  Pediaki  were  led  by  Lykurgos.  Herodotus
further  says  that  Peisistratos  was  the  creator  of  the  party
of  the  Diakrii.i  The  treatise  on  the  Constitution  adds
information  of  greater  significance.  It  identifies  the  Paralii
with  those  of  moderate  views  in  politics  :  ^  the  Pediaki  with
the  Oligarchs ;  and  the  Diakrii  with  the  Democrats.^  This
last  party,  it  says,  included  all  those  who  suffered  from
Solon's  measure  abolishing  debts,  and  those  whose  birth-
claim  to  citizenship  was  of  doubtful  validity.  It  cites  as  a
proof  that  the  latter  were  included  in  this  political  section
the  fact  that  '  after  the  fall  of  the  tyranny  they  held  a
revision  (of  the  citizenship)  on  the  ground  that  many
improper  persons  were  sharing  in  the  franchise.'

It  is  noticeable  that  these  classes  are  divided  according  to
locality.  It  is,  moreover,  significant  that  these  localities
represent  different  types  of  existence.  Furthermore,  the
division  between  classes  is  sharp,  and  is  coincident  with
the  divisions  between  the  political  parties  of  the  day.
