A cleruchy, in Hellenic Greece, was the result of the exportation of excess and generally impoverished populations to colonies or special settlements of citizens.
Under the cleruchy arrangement, the participating citizen received a plot of agricultural land, hence a means to earn his livelihood. The Athenian democracy benefited in three ways:
- The reduction of population pressure in Athens itself
- The overawing of recalcitrant allies, as the cleruchs formed military garrisons
- The appropriation of property to Athenian citizens
