[1] Goldman emphasizes that the notion of 'good work' has been a persistent theme in defining the ideals of excellence, suggesting that Aristoi were not only leaders but also exemplars of ethical conduct and civic responsibility.
[12] The iconography of vases bear witness to this change depicting the transition from men carrying swords, then spears, then staffs, then – for a brief period of time – parasols, to eventually nothing.
[10] Thucydides also speaks of how the Aristoi took cultural cues from the orient, such as "the luxury of wearing undergarments of linen, and fastening a knot of their hair with a tie of golden grasshoppers.
"[9] This went out of fashion after the Athenian elite began to mimic the Lacedaemonians, wearing more modest garments in order "to assimilate their way of life to that of the common people".
[9] The information in Athens, where elites began adopting more modest behaviors and styles was influence by broader civilizing trends.