Page "Athenian democracy" Paragraph 41

Competence does not seem to have been the main issue, but rather, at least in the 4th century BC, whether they were loyal democrats or had oligarchic tendencies.

After leaving office they were subject to a scrutiny ( euthunai, literally ' straightenings ') to review their performance.

Both of these processes were in most cases brief and formulaic, but they opened up in the possibility, if some citizen wanted to take some matter up, of a contest before a jury court.