The ancient city-state known for its democratic system is Athens, located in ancient Greece. Athens is often hailed as the birthplace of democracy, particularly during the 5th century BCE under the leadership of statesmen like Cleisthenes and Pericles. They established a system where citizens could participate directly in decision-making. Athenian democracy was characterized by assemblies, public debates, and the concept of equal political rights, though it was limited to a subset of the population, excluding women, slaves, and foreigners. This pioneering governance model greatly influenced democratic systems in later societies.