Genos (plural gene, "clan") was the ancient Greek term for small kinship groups which ientified themselves as a unit, referred to by a single name. Most gene seem to have been composed of noble families—Herodotus uses the term to denote noble families—and much of early Greek politics seems to have involved struggles between gene. Gene are best attested at Athens, where writers from Herodotus to Aristotle dealt with them.