I am naturally delighted that Franz Willemsen (AM 106 (1991), 144) has announced his adhesion to the view that Megakles (IV) son of Hippokrates (I) of Alopeke was ostracised twice and that the major part of the find of Kerameikos ostraka belongs to the 470s and not to the 480s; this was argued by me (ZPE14 (1974), 1–4) and Peter Bicknell (AC44 (1975), 172–5). This is apparently not the end of the matter, for, on 4 December 1992, at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens conference on The Archaeology of Democracy, Stefan Brenne exhibited ostraka of Kallias Kratiou Alopekethen physically joining ostraka of Megakles and others from the find. The 718 ostraka of Kallias must also move to the 470s.

Yet another argument for this date can now be added, from the new list of Kerameikos ostraka provided by Willemsen and Brenne. The three hitherto unreported ostraka for'Αρίϕρoν χσανθίπo (AM 106 (1991), 150) can only make sense after the death of Xanthippos some time after 479. That Ariphron was Xanthippos' older son was argued by J. K. Davies (Athenian Propertied Families 456); it is now clear that at least three voters thought that he, and not Perikles, would be the political heir of Xanthippos.

Much now needs to be done to elucidate Athenian politics of the 470s, but I confine myself here to a point of detail. It concerns an ostrakon, Kerameikos 3469, which Willemsen publishes to support the case for a second ostracism of Megakles (AM 106 (1991), 144–5 with Taf. 26.3).