Tyranny at Athens and Samos

How was Attica originally ruled

By a king

What happened after Attica was ruled by a king

It was ruled by nine magistrates chosen from the aristocracy

Who tried to make himself tyrant in 632 but failed

Cylon

Who was the poet and archon that initiated legal, economic and social reforms and in what year

Solon in 594

Name of the people in one of the four classes who had an annual income of 500 measurements of grain, oil or wine

Pentacosiomedimnoi

Those who could afford a horse

Hippeis

Those who could afford their own armour

Zeugitai

The lowest, but biggest class

Thetes

What three policies did Solon introduce

Abolished the practice of people falling into slavery, abolished the rule of paying one sixth of produce to a landowner, cancelled all existing debts

Did Solons reforms last

No

Who wrote about Peisistratus' rise to power

Aristotle

Did Aristotle like Peistratus and if so why

Yes because they were both aristocrats so Aristotle favoured him

Who was Attica at war with when Peisistratus won great fame

Megara

How long was Peisistratus' first ruls

5 years

How did peistratus rule in his first term

More like a private citizen than a tyrant

How did Megacles help restore Peisistratus the second time

The "Athene trick" with a very tall woman representing the godess Athena in a chariot with him to make it look like she was restoring Peisistratus as leader

Why did Megacles restore peistratus

Because he wanted him to have a child with his daughter so that his grandson would be ruler as well

Who was Peisistratus ousted by the first time

Megacles (an alcmaeonid) Lycurgus

Why did Peisistratus leave for the second time and after how long of ruling was it

6 years and it was because he didn't have proper sex with Megacles' daughter so he had offended Megacles

After how long did peistratus return again

10 years

How did peistratus return the third time

Defeated the Athenians at Pallene with the support of Thebes and Lygdamis of Naxos

What did Peisistratus do to Lygdamis as a reward for helping him

Made him tyrant of Naxos

How did Peisistratus disarm the athenians

He held an armed parade, when he asked people to climb over a gate or wall (something like that) he had people waiting to take the weapons away when they left them behind

What year was his third term of power started in

546

When did Peisistratus die

527

How did the Peisitratids ensure that they always held some power

They appointed family members or friends as high ranking political people

Which son of Peisistratus became the next tyrant

Hippias

Which son of Peisistratus was assassinated and what year was it in and who assassinated him

Hipparchus, assassinated in 514 by Harmodios and Aristogeiton

Who tells the most detailed account of the assassination of Peisistratus' son

Thucydides

What differed in Thucydides account of the murder of Hipparchus to Herodotus and Aristotles' accounts

Thucydides says that Hippias was tyrant not Hipparchus and that the assassination was not an attempt to overthrow the tyranny, but instead a love triangle. Harmodios and Aristogeiton were lovers, Hippiarchus tried to seduce Harmodios on multiple occasions, Harmodios refused and told Aristogeiton. Hipparchus was angry at Harmodios, and decided to humiliate his little sister which angered Harmodios and Aristogeiton so they stabbed him to death at a festival.

Which of the lovers died on the sport after killing Hipparchus

Harmodios

Who overthrew Hippias and his tyranny and when

Alcmeonids in 510 with help from Sparta

Why did Alcmaeonis wants to overthrow Hippias

They had been exiled by the Peisistrarids and wanted revenge

Which Spartan king helped the Alcmaeonids and why

Cleomenes, the priestess at Delphi was bribed by the Alcmaeonids to instruct the Spartans to liberate the Athenians

How does Herodotus say Polycrates took power

he explains the story of two persian satraps talking about how he took power with 15 hoplites

How does Thucydides say Polycrates took power

He was a tyrant with a strong navy, doesn't specifically say how he took power

Which places does Samos subdue according to Herodotus

Many towns and Islands in the mainland, captured and plundered Lesbos and made people dig a ring around Samos

Which places does Samos capture according to Thucydides

Subdues islands in Ionia, including Rhenea

Name the three engineering achievements of Polycrates

The Eupalinian aqueduct, the harbour of Samos and the temple of Hera

Who did Polycrates send to Cambyses and why

The Psartans waged war on him, he sent the Samians as they were most likely to revolt so it was good to get rid of them

What two reasons did Herodotus give for the Samians not reaching Egypt

They stopped at Carpathus, or they tried to attack Samos but failed and turned to Sparta for help

What did Polycrates do to stop the other Samians from turning traitor

He held their wives and kids hostage and threatened to burn down the building they were kept in

What reason did the Samians give for why the Spartans should help them but what do the Spartans say their reason to help is

The Samians sent a fleet to them during their fight against the messenians so they are returning a favour. Spartans say Polycrates has a bowl and breastplate that the Samians stole

What question did Procles ask his grandchildren and why

Who killed your mother because he wanted them to be mad at Periander

Explain what happens after Lycophron hears his father killed his mother

He refuses to speak to Periander (his father), he got banished. Periander said anyone who spoke to Lycophron would owe Apollo a fine, when he found Lycophron four days Later, lycophron told Periander he owed Apollo a fine, Periander sent him away again and attacked Procles. He wanted to give his tyranny to Lycophron because his eldest son was not bright but lycophron refused so he killed him

What does the story about Lycophron show about Periander

That he is evil as he killed manu family members, maybe a bit crazy. Also only wants what will be good for him and his legacy

Explain the Spartan attack on Samos

The huge Spartan army marched to the wall of Samos, Polycrates launched a violent counter attack which drove out the Spartans who were then held back by the mercenaries and lots of Samians

Where did the Samians sail to for money

Siphnos

What did the Samians ask the siphnians for and what was their response

10 talents, they refused

How much money did the Samians get and how

100 talents from defeating them in a fight

Who forced the Samians out of Crete

Aeginetans who came with the Cretans and defeated them in a naval battle

Similarities with what happened to Samians and Siphnians

Cycle of revenge. Wealth and power doesn't last.

Who wanted to kill Polycrates and why

Oreotes, got into a fight with a guy who told him he was useless and wasn't a real man because he couldn't conquer Samos even though it was easy to conquer, Oreotes wanted to prove him wrong

Where was the idea of being a real man seen before with herodotus

Atossa talking to darius

How did Polycrates disrespect Oreotes

Didn't turn around to greet his messenger

How did Oreotes trick Maeandius

Filled his chests with stones and left gold on top

What happened to Polycrates when he visited Oreotes

He was murdered

What happened after Polycrates was murdered

He was crucified

What did Maeandrius strongly dislike

Tyranny

Who is Maeandrius' brother and what does he do after Maeandrius falls ill

Lycaretus - Kills all the high ranking political people being kept as prisoners so that he can take power easily

Who takes power while Maeandrius is ill and how

Syloson, he had Persian backing

What happened to Maeandrius after he lost power

He left the island as part of a truce

peisistratus economic reforms

taxed 1/5

often lent people money and was kind to them

story of the man mining the rock

redistributed land

peisistratus social/cultural reforms

he was often encouraging of religious ceremonies and decorating the city

large scale building projects such as the temple to athena

invited famous poets to athens

peisistratus legal reforms

introduced travelling judges and often accompanied them to settle disputes

what were the archons

nine magistrates held power for 10 years and supervised all affairs

chief archon in charge of miltary

top two classes allowed

the boule

council made of 400 male citizens

thetes not eligible

the ecclesia

assembly of citizens who completed two years of service, all classes allowed but had little power

results of peisistratus’ reforms

• arts flourished

• consolidation of peisisitratid power

• increased cultural profile of athens

• more people able to hold archonship

was there change between solon and peisistratus

he maintained solons reforms mainly

why is the spartan overthrow of athens plausible

• hippias had expelled the alcmaeonids

• alcmaeonids could gain power

• the oracle was the most famous in the ancient world

why is the spartan overthrow of athens not plausible

• herodotus’ sources are oral and are 60-80 years after event

• he was keen on the influence of gods

why is aristotle unreliable

• he writed over 100 years after peisistratus ruled

• he was an aristocrat so didn’t like tyranny or democracy

• slightly liked peisistratus as he was also an aristocrat

• includes some anecdoty bits

why was herodotus unreliable

• 60 years after democracy established

• writes down what he hears and often says he himself doesn’t believe it

• believes in oracles and religion

• born wealthy

why is thucydides unreliable

• 100 years after events

• just about within living memory though

• biased against democracy as he was exiled by it

hippias’ reforms

promoted artistic projects

made trade with attica easier by minting new coins

how is peisistratus supported at pallenis according to aristotle

1000 argives helped him

thebans

lygdamis of naxos

oligarchy ruling eretria