Look at the word ostracize in the passage below in the early late 1990s a deposit of more than 150 broken pottery pieces were uncovered during an archaeological excavation in Athens Greece discharge had been used as balance and a special kind of election conducted in Athens during the 5th century BCE when elections occurred once a year at most citizens could vote to ostracize the leader whom they believe had become too powerful or potentially dangerous you democracy anyone receiving more than 6,000 votes was forced to leave the city within was not permitted back for 10 years once this period of exile ended these banished politicians could sometimes and did sometimes return to the city practice lasted about 70 years ended in 417 BC nominate through secretive means criticize using formal language exclude or expel for my group

In the passage, the word "ostracize" is used to describe a special kind of election conducted in Athens during the 5th century BCE. Citizens had the power to vote to "ostracize" a leader whom they deemed too powerful or potentially dangerous. This would lead to the individual being forced to leave the city and not being permitted back for 10 years. The practice of ostracism lasted for about 70 years and ended in 417 BC.