 |
| Fountain of Pirene, Corinth where both Cypselus and his son Periander were from |
To the ancient Greeks, the term ‘tyrant’ didn’t necessarily imply cruelty or the abuse of position. It simply meant a usurper with supreme power. The tyrants were a group of individuals who took over many of the Greek city states during uprisings of the middle classes in the 6th and 7th centuries BC, ousting the ruling aristocracies. In many cases they aimed to make life better for ordinary people, undertaking ambitious programmes of public building works to provide employment and amenities for poorer citizens.
Some of the best known tyrants were Cypselus (and later his son, Periander) of Corinth, Cleisthenes of Sicyon, Pheidon of Argos, Polycrates of Samos and Pisistratus and his son Hippias of Athens.
However, the rule of the tyrants was uncertain and they were constantly under threat from the aristocracy who were desperate to regain control – often with the help of their allies, the mighty Spartans. In 510BC Spartan forces ejected Hippias, one of the last remaining tyrants. Ironically, instead of returning the aristocrats to power, this only paved the way for the first democracy.
|
You are not logged in
International
more
