What was one requirement to be considered a citizen in Athenian democracy?

In Athenian democracy, one of the crucial requirements for being considered a citizen was being male and over a certain age, typically 18 years old. This criterion reflected the societal norms of ancient Athens, where political participation and citizenship were restricted to adult males. The city's democratic system was designed around this framework, which excluded women, slaves, and foreigners from citizenship rights and political representation.

While factors such as landownership, holding political office, or economic independence might play roles in other contexts, the specificity of Athenian citizenship was fundamentally linked to gender and age. Men, once they reached the age of majority, were granted the rights and responsibilities of citizens, which included participation in the assembly and the ability to vote on issues affecting the polis. This condition highlights the exclusive nature of Athenian democracy and its emphasis on a specific demographic group as the active participants in governance.