List of ancient Greek tyrants
This is a list of tyrants from Ancient Greece.
- Daphnis, c. 500 BC under Darius I (pro persian)[1]
- Philiscus, c. 368-360 BC (assassinated)
- Iphiades, 360-? BC[2]
Agrigentum (Acragas)
[edit]- Phalaris, 570-554 BC (overthrown and roasted)
- Telemachus, after 554 BC
- Alcamenes, 6th/5th century BC[3]
- Alcandros (Alcander), 6th/5th century BC[3]
- Theron, 488-472 BC
- Thrasydaeus, 472 BC (expelled and executed)
- Phintias, c. 288-279 BC
- Sosistratus, 279-277 BC. Later tyrant in Syracuse[4]
- Gorgus, son of Cypselus, fl. 628-600 BC[5]
- Periander, until 580 BC, son of Gorgus and grandson of Periander of Corinth[6]
- Archinus, 6th century BC[7]
- Amastris, until 284 BC
- Eumenes, 284 until c. 270 BC (hands city over to Kingdom of Pontus)[8]
- Laphaes, 6th century BC[9]
- Pheidon, around 550 BC
- Perilaus, c. 546 BC
- Archinus, c. 395 BC
- Aristippus the Elder, after 272 BC
- Aristomachos the Elder, before 250-240 BC (assassinated)
- Aristippus, 240-235 BC (killed in action)
- Aristomachus the Younger, 235-229 BC (resigned), 224-223 BC (tortured and executed)
- Cylon, 632 BC (stoned)
- Pisistratus, 561 BC, 559-556 BC and 546-528 BC
- Hippias, 527-510 BC
- Theramenes, Critias, and Charicles leading members of the Thirty Tyrants 404-403 BC
- Lachares, 300-294 BC
- Aristion, 88-86 BC (executed)
- Ariston, c. 513 BC, pro persian, participated in the Scythian campaign of Darius I[1]
- Pausanias the Regent, c.477-476 BC
- Clearchus of Sparta, 411-409 BC, 404-401 BC
- Psaumis of Camarina, fl. c. 460 BC
- Apollodorus, 279-276 BC (executed)
- Euarchus, 729 BC-?, founder of Catane[12]
- Deinomenes the Younger, fl. 470-465 BC
- Mamercus of Catane, 345-338 BC
- Tynnondas, c. 580 BC[13]
- Antileon, 6th century BC
- Mnesarchus, before 354 BC
- Callias, c. 354-350 BC, c. 343-330 BC
- Taurosthenes, c. 330 BC
- Miltiades the Elder, 555-519 BC
- Stesagoras, 519-516 BC (assassinated)
- Miltiades, 516-510 BC, 496-492 BC
- Strattis, fl. 513-480 BC
- Cypselus, 657-627 BC
- Periander, 627-587 BC
- Psammetich (Psammetichus, named after Psamtik I), 587-584 BC [15]
- Timophanes, 364 BC (assassinated)
- Alexander, 253-247 BC (poisoned?)
- Nicaea, 247-245 BC (married)
- Scythes, late 6th century BC
- Cadmus, resigned 494 BC[16]
- Nicias of Cos, 1st century BC
- Nicippus, 1st century (with Nicias)[17]
- Aristodemus, c. 505-490 BC
- Aristagoras, fl. 513-493 BC
- Nicocreon, 4th century BC
- Ophellas, 312-308 BC
- Lycopus, c. 163 BC[20]
- Nicocrates, c. 51 BC (assassinated)
- Leander, c. 50 BC (arrested)
- Aristagoras, c. 513 BC [1]
- Mania, killed by her son-in-law c. 399 BC
- Mnason, 4th century BC
- Aristotimus, 272 BC (assassinated)
- Melas the Elder, 7th century BC, brother-in-law to king Gyges[21]
- Pythagoras, son of Miletus, 6th century BC[22]
- Melas the Younger, son of Pythagoras, son-in-law of king Alyattes[23]
- Pindarus, son of Melas, around 560 BC, overthrown by his cousin king Croesus[24]
- Aristarchus, sent from Athens, around 545-540, to rule instead of Melas III[25]
- Pasicles, 540-530 BC, killed when returning from a feast.[26]
- Aphinagorus, fl. 530 BC[23]
- Comas, fl. 530 BC[23]
- Athenagoras, late 6th century BC[23]
- Phanes[23]
- Melancomas, around 500 BC[23]
- Hegesias, before 323 BC (assassinated)[23]
- Melancomas II, fl. 214 BC[23]
- Procles, 640 BC
- Themison, fl. 366 BC
- Plutarch, c. 355-350 BC (expelled)
- Hipparchus, c. 345 BC
- Automedon, c. 345 BC
- Cleitarchus, 345-341 BC (expelled)
- Cleander, 505-498 BC (assassinated)
- Hippocrates, 498-491 BC
- Gelon, 491-485 BC
- Hieron I, 485-466 BC
- Polyzalus, fl. c. 476 BC
- Artemisia I of Caria, fl. 480 BC
- Lygdamis II of Halicarnassus, fl. 469-444 BC
- Clearchus, 365-353 BC (assassinated)
- Satyrus, 353-? BC[27]
- Timotheus, 352-337 BC
- Dionysius, 337-305 BC
- Amastris, 305-284 BC (drowned by her sons)
- Oxyathres, 305-284 BC
- Clearchus, 305-284 BC
- Xenon, stepped down 229 BC
- Terillus, early 5th century BC
- Iseas, 275 BC (resigned)
- Medius, fl. 395 BC
- Panaetius, c. 615/609 BC[29][30]
- Aenesidemus, 498-491 BC
- Hicetas, c. 347-338 BC
- Heracleides, fl. 278 BC
- Cleobulus, 6th century BC
- Dionysius the Younger, 356-346 BC
- Aristodemus the Good, c. 262-252 BC (assassinated by the "philosopher tyrannicides" Ecdemus and Damophanes)
- Lydiadas, c. 245-235 BC (joined the Achaean League)
- Theagenes, c. 620-600 BC
- Scythes, c. 494 BC
- Cadmus, c. 494-490 BC[31]
- Anaxilas, c. 490-476 BC
- Micythus, c. 476-467 BC (retired)
- Leophron, c. 467-461 BC (popular revolt)
- Hippon, c. 338 BC[32]
- Cios the Mamertine, c. 269 BC (POW)[33]
- Phyliades, before 336 BC (?)[34]
- Neon, son of Phyliades (expelled in 336 after Philip II died, but restored by Alexander) after 336 BC (?)[34]
- Thrasymachus, son of Phyliades (expelled in 336 after Philip II died, but restored by Alexander) after 336 BC (?)[34]
- Aristonicus, before 332 BC (tortured and executed)
- Amphitres, late 8th or 7th century BC[35]
- Thrasybulus, 7th century BC
- Thoas, 6th century BC
- Damasanor, 6th century BC
- Histiaeus, 518-514 BC
- Aristagoras, c. 513-499 BC (reintroduced democracy)
- Timarchus, 3rd century BC
- Myrsilus, late 7th century BC, (Alcaeus was against him)[36]
- Pittacus, fl. 600 BC (resigned after ten years)
- Coes, c. 507-499 BC (stoned)
- Lygdamis, until c. 512 BC
- Aristagoras, c. 502-499 BC
- Philistides, c. 341 BC (expelled)
- Menippus, c. 341 BC (expelled)[38]
- Herophantus, c. 513 BC[39]
- Chaeron, after 336 BC
- Lycophron[41]
- Jason, before 370 BC (assassinated)
- Polydorus, 370 BC (assassinated)
- Polyphron, 370-369 BC (assassinated)
- Alexander, 369-358 BC (assassinated)
- Tisiphonus, 357-355/4 BC
- Lycophron II, 355-352 BC (resigned)
- Peitholaus, 355-352 and 349 BC (resigned, expelled)[42]
- Damophon, before 7th century BC (?)[47]
- Pantaleon, fl. 660-644 BC[48]
- Damophon, fl. 588 BC[49]
- Pyrrhus, 6th century BC[50]
- Hieron of Priene, 300-297 BC[51]
- Metrodorus, c. 513 BC[52]
- Anaxilas, 494-476 BC
- Micythus, c. 476-467 BC (retired)
- Leophron, c. 467-461 BC (popular revolt)
- Dionysius the Younger, before 352 BC (expelled)
- Calippus, 352/351 BC (assassinated)
- Leptines II, after 351 BC
- Demoteles, 7th century BC[53]
- Syloson, c. 538 BC
- Polycrates, c. 538-522 BC
- Maiandrius, c. 522 BC (reintroduced democracy)
- Charilaus, c. 522 BC
- Syloson, again c. 521 BC
- Aeaces, around 513 BC, reinstalled after 494 BC
- Theomestor, after 480 BC[54]
- Kaois (father of Duris), after 322 BC[55]
- Duris, c. 300-280 BC
- Theron, 6th/5th century BC[56]
- Pythagoras, 6th/5th century BC[57]
- Euryleon of Sparta, 6th/5th century BC (killed)[58]
- Orthagoras, from 676 BC
- Myron the Elder, fl. 648 BC, former Olympian winning in chariot race[59]
- Aristonymus, father of Cleisthenes[60]
- Isodemus[61]
- Cleisthenes, 600-560 BC
- Aeschines, 560-556 BC removed by the Spartans[62]
- Euphron, 368-366 BC (assassinated)
- Aristratus, fl. c. 340 BC
- Epichares (?), fl. c. 330 BC
- Cratesipolis, 314-308 BC (bribed)
- Cleon, c. 300-280 BC (assassinated)
- Euthydemus, c. 280-270 BC (expelled)
- Timocleidas, c. 280-270 BC (expelled)
- Abantidas, 264-252 BC (assassinated)
- Paseas, 252-251 BC (assassinated)
- Nicocles, 251 BC (expelled by Aratus of Sicyon)
- Hegesistratus, fl. 510 BC[63]
- Timesilaus, before 433 BC[64]
- Scydrothemis, 301-280 BC
- Machanidas, 210-207 BC (killed in action)
- Nabis, 207-192 BC (assassinated by allies)
- Chaeron, 180 BC
- Telys, c. 510 BC
- Gelon, 491-478 BC
- Hieron I, 478-466 BC
- Thrasybulus, 466-465 BC (expelled, democracy restored)
- Dionysius the Elder, 405-367 BC
- Dionysius II, the Younger, 367-357 BC
- Apollocrates, 357 BC
- Heracleides, 357 BC
- Dion, 357-354 BC
- Calippus, 354-352 BC
- Hipparinus, 352-351 BC
- Dionysius II, the Younger, (restored, 346-344 BC)
- Timoleon, 345-337 BC
- Agathocles, 320 BC (banished)
- Acestorides, 320-319 BC
- Agathocles, 317-289 BC
- Hicetas, 289-279 BC
- Thoenon, 279 BC, See Siege of Syracuse (278 BC)[65]
- Sosistratus, 279-277 BC[4]
- Hieron II, 275-215 BC
- Gelon II, c. 240-216 BC
- Hieronymus, 215-214 BC
- Adranodoros, 214-212 BC
- Hippocrates, 213-212 BC
- Epicydes, 213-212 BC
- Aristophylidas, c. 516-492 BC[66]
- Andromachus, fl. 344 BC
- Tyndarion, fl. 278 BC
- Leontiades, 382-379 BC (killed)
- Archias, 382-379 BC (killed)[69][70]
- Nicagoras, 334 BC (conquered by Alexander the Great)[71]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Herodotus, Histories,4.138
- ^ Aeneas Tacticus, 28.6–7,"Ἰφιάδης εἶναι Ἀβυδηνὸς κατὰ Ἑλλήσποντον καταλαμβάνων Πάριον ἄλλα τε περὶ τὴν ἀνάβασιν νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους λάθρᾳ παρεσκευάσατο207 καὶ ἁμάξας πληρώσας φρυγάνων καὶ βάτων παρέπεμψεν πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος, ἤδη τῶν πυλῶν κεκλεισμένων, ὡς τῶν Παριανῶν οὔσας τὰς ἁμάξας, αἵτινες208 ἐλθοῦσαι πρὸς τὰς πύλας ηὐλίζοντο, ὡς φοβούμεναι πολεμίους. 7 ἃς ἔδει ἐν καιρῷ τινι ὑφαφθῆναι, ἵνα αἱ πύλαι ἐμπρησθῶσι καὶ πρὸς τὸ σβεννύειν τῶν Παριανῶν ὁρμησάντων αὐτὸς κατὰ ἄλλον τόπον εἰσέλθῃ."[English Translation: And Iphiades of Abydus on the Hellespont, in his capture of Parium, among other preparations for scaling the wall by night, secretly prepared wagons filled with brush and brambles and sent them to the wall (the gates being already closed), as though they were wagons of the Parians, which after their arrival were parked near the gates from fear of the enemy. At a suitable moment they were to set fire to the wagons, so that the gates might catch fire, and when the citizens of Parium had gone to put out the flames he himself might enter at another point.]
- ^ a b Heraclides Lembus, Excerpta Politiarum, 69."Ἀκραγαντίνων: […] μεθ’ ὃν Ἀλκαμένης παρέλαβε τὰ πράγματα, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον Ἄλκανδρος προέστη, ἀνὴρ ἐπιεικής. καὶ εὐθένησαν οὕτως ὡς περιπόρφυρα ἔχειν ἱμάτια." (Constitution of the Acragantines. […] After him [i.e. Phalaris] Alcamenes seized the power, and after him, Alcander, a righteous man, governed. And they flourished to such an extent that they had himations fringed with purple”.) (DILTS 1971)
- ^ a b Diodorus Siculus 22.7.2, Polyaenus 5.37.1
- ^ Robinson, Eric W. (1997). The First Democracies: Early Popular Government Outside Athens. Franz Steiner Verlag. ISBN 978-3-515-06951-9.
- ^ Robinson, Eric W. (1997). The First Democracies: Early Popular Government Outside Athens. Franz Steiner Verlag. ISBN 978-3-515-06951-9.
- ^ Aristotle, Constitution of Athens,17.4
- ^ Memnon of Heraclea, Chapter 9
- ^ Pausanias,2.21.8
- ^ Thucydides in Book II of his History of the Peloponnesian War
- ^ Hecataetus entry
- ^ Thucydides (1843). "The hystory".
- ^ Plutarch, Solon,14.4
- ^ Strabo,13.4
- ^ Aristophanes, Politica. v. 12. 1315 b 26; Nicolaus Damascenus, fr. 60, Fragmenta historicorum Graecorum iii. 393
- ^ Smith, William (1844). "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Abaeus-Dysponteus".
- ^ Bell, John (1790). "Bell's New Pantheon; or, Historical Dictionary of the Gods, Demi-gods, Heroes, and Fabulous Personages of Antiquity: Also, of the Images and Idols Adored in the Pagan World; Together with Their Temples, Priests, Altars, Oracles, Fasts, Festivals, Games, &c. As Well as Descriptions of Their Figures, Representations, and Symbols, Collected from Statues Pictures, Coins and Other Remains of the Ancients. The Whole Designed to Facilitate the Study of Mythology, History, Poetry, Painting, Statuary, Medals, &c. &c. And Compiled from the Best Authorities".
- ^ Müller, Karl Otfried (1839). "The History and Antiquities of the Doric Race".
- ^ The Cambridge Ancient History. University Press. 1928. ISBN 978-0-521-23347-7.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - ^ Kitto, John (1853). "The Journal of Sacred Literature".
- ^ Ure, Percy Neville (1922). "The Origin of Tyranny".
- ^ Ure, Percy Neville (1922). "The Origin of Tyranny".
- ^ a b c d e f g h Laale, Hans Willer (2011-11-04). Ephesus (Ephesos): An Abbreviated History from Androclus to Constantine Xi. WestBow Press. ISBN 978-1-4497-1618-9.
- ^ Maspero, Gaston (1900). "History of the Ancient Peoples of the Classic East".
- ^ "Great Online Encyclopaedia of Constantinople". constantinople.ehw.gr. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ Callimachus (2012). Αίτια. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-958101-6.
- ^ Justin, Epitome, 16.5
- ^ "Aeneas Tacticus, Asdepiodotus, and Onasander; with English translation by members of the Illinois Greek club". 1923.
- ^ Abbott, Evelyn (1892). "A History of Greece".
- ^ Smith, William (1876). "A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Oarses-Zygia".
- ^ Smith, William (1880). "A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Abaeus-Dysponteus".
- ^ Smith, William (1880). "A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Earinus-Nyx".
- ^ Livius, Titus (1815). "The history of Titus Livius, with the entire supplement of J. Freinsheim; tr. Into Engl".
- ^ a b c Polybius (1889). "The Histories".
- ^ Duncker, Max (1886). "History of Greece: From the Earliest Times to the End of the Persian War".
- ^ "Alcaeus | Ancient Greek Lyric Poet & Politician | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ Ogden, Daniel (29 July 2024). The Tyrants of Corinth: Legends of Cypselus and Periander. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-040-08814-2.
- ^ Smith, William (1880). "A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Earinus-Nyx".
- ^ Herodotus (1812). "The History of Herodotus, Translated from the Greek. With Notes. By ... W. Beloe".
- ^ "The Deipnosophists; or, Banquet of the Learned". 1909.
- ^ Westlake, Henry Dickinson; Hornblower, Simon (2016-03-07), "Lycophron (1), tyrant of Pherae, c. 406–390 BCE", Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics, doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.3814, ISBN 978-0-19-938113-5, retrieved 2025-04-01
- ^ Demosthenes (1900). "On the Peace, Second Philippic: On the Chersonesus, and the Third Philippic".
- ^ Polybius (11 November 2010). The Histories. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-953470-8.
- ^ Herman, Gabriel (8 August 2002). Ritualised Friendship and the Greek City. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-52210-6.
- ^ Lewis, Sian (April 2022). Greek Tyranny. Liverpool University Press. ISBN 978-1-80207-933-3.
- ^ Athenaeus (1854). "The Deipnosophists or Banquet of the Learned of Athenaeus: With an Appendix of Poetical Fragments, Rendered into English Verse by Various Authors and a General Index : In Three Volumes".
- ^ Stocking, Charles H.; Stephens, Susan A. (25 August 2021). Ancient Greek Athletics: Primary Sources in Translation. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-260762-1.
- ^ Müller, Karl Otfried (1839). "The History and Antiquities of the Doric Race".
- ^ Miller, Molly (30 June 1970). The Sicilian Colony Dates. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-1-4384-1318-1.
- ^ Abbott, Evelyn (1884). "A Skeleton Outline of Greek History, Chronologically Arranged".
- ^ McNicoll, Anthony (1997). Hellenistic Fortifications from the Aegean to the Euphrates. Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-813228-8.
- ^ Herodotus; Cary, Henry (1848). "Herodotus: A New and Literal Version from the Text of Baehr ; with a Geographical and General Index".
- ^ Plutarch, Greek Questions 57
- ^ Herodotus 8.85, Herodotus,9.90
- ^ Barron, John (1962). "The Tyranny of Duris of Samos". The Classical Review. 12 (3): 189–92. doi:10.1017/S0009840X00214005. JSTOR 709356.
- ^ Osborne, Robin (30 May 2025). The Oxford History of the Archaic Greek World: Volume VI: Rhodes to Western Sicily. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-938353-5.
- ^ Cary, Henry (29 September 2023). Heredotus. BoD – Books on Demand. ISBN 978-3-368-19622-6.
- ^ Cary, Henry (29 September 2023). Heredotus. BoD – Books on Demand. ISBN 978-3-368-19622-6.
- ^ Pausanias,6.19.1
- ^ "Ancient History pamphlets". 1915.
- ^ Frontinus’ “Strategemata”.
- ^ Fine, John Van Antwerp (1983). The Ancient Greeks: A Critical History. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-03314-6.
- ^ Herodotus,5.94
- ^ Plutarch, Pericles, 20
- ^ Champion, Jeff (19 July 2012). The Tyrants of Syracuse Volume II: War in Ancient Sicily, 367–211 BC. Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-84468-296-6.
- ^ Herodotus,3.136.2
- ^ Deipnosophistae, book 5,215
- ^ Polyaenus: Stratagems, Book 2,1.27
- ^ Plutarch, Pelopidas, 5.
- ^ Strassler, Robert B. (7 December 2010). The Landmark Xenophon's Hellenika. Knopf Doubleday Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4000-3476-5.
- ^ Athenaeus, Deipnosophists, §7.288
