Actually, the ostracism was a voting procedure through which was determined if a dangerous (for the city) individual was about be led to a mandatory exile or not. First appeared in Ancient Athens around 6th century B.C. that institution of the Athenian Democracy later was used by more cities with democratic polities. The procedure of the ostracism was as follows: they used to close off the Agora in order to create an enclosure which was divided in 10 pieces with the same entrance. According to their tribe the people were entering those pieces and were leaving a pottery (ostracon) with the name of individual they wanted to ostracize on it.
Unlike under modern voting procedures, the Athenians did not have to adhere to a strict format for the inscribing of ostacon. Many extant ostraca show that it was possible to write expletives, short epigrams or cryptic injunctions beside the name of the candidate without invalidating the vote. For example: Kallixenes, "the traitor"; Agasias, "the donkey".
