A plural form referring to members of the Eupatridae, an aristocratic family or class in ancient Athens who held significant political and social power.
From Ancient Greek 'eupatridai' (εὐπατρίδαι), compound of 'eu' (well) + 'patra' (fatherland/father), literally 'of good fathers.' The term emerged in classical Athens to denote the noble bloodline families.
The Eupatridae were ancient Athens's original one-percent—families so proud of their ancestry they literally named themselves 'well-fathered,' and their monopoly on power sparked the democratic reforms we still celebrate today.
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