Political elites of various types played a huge role in the public life of the ancient Greek states. Therefore, one of the most serious problems that arises in connection with the study of the ancient Greek polis and the society that developed within its framework is the role of political elites in it. The book covers a range of problems related to the place of elites in the polis, their typology, their mechanisms of power and the ideological justification of this power. Issues such as the main types of polis elites, methods of achieving and maintaining influence practiced by the elites, the relationship between the elites and the civil collective, and their evolution in connection with changes in general historical conditions are touched upon. The territorial and chronological scope of the book is Athens in the 7th–4th centuries. BC e. Among its heroes are such outstanding statesmen as Solon, Themistocles, Pericles, Alcibiades and others. The manual is intended for students of history and other humanities, as well as for anyone interested in antiquity, the genesis of European political systems and political processes.