Athenian Constitution 13-19 Notes on the Governance and Tyranny of Peisistratus in Ancient Athens

  • Solon's Journey & Early Governance of Athens

    • Solon left Athens for foreign lands amidst disturbances lasting four years.
    • By the fifth year of his archonship, civil strife led to a failure to appoint an archon.
    • Conflict arose again after a two-year period with Damasias as Archon.
    • Internal disorder rooted in:
    • Cancellation of debts, contributing to poverty.
    • Discontent with constitutional changes.
    • Rivalries among factions.

  • The Factions of Athens

    • Three primary factions:
    • Men of the Coast: Led by Megacles, advocated for a middle constitution.
    • Men of the Plain: Desiring oligarchy, under Lycurgus.
    • Hillmen: Supported Peisistratus, seeking to empower the poorer populace.
    • Peisistratus gained initial fame through military success against Megara.
    • He self-inflicted a wound to garner sympathy and support, seeking a bodyguard, known as Club-bearers.

  • Peisistratus's Rise to Power

    • Solon opposed his request for guards, recognizing Peisistratus's tyrannical aims.
    • Ignoring Solon, Peisistratus successfully seized the Acropolis.
    • His governance was initially moderate, functioning with some constitutional qualities until his expulsion by rival factions.

  • Return & Consolidation of Power

    • After multiple expulsions and returns, Peisistratus secured power with military support, disarming the citizenry under various pretexts.
    • Established measures he deemed beneficial for the populace, such as loans to the poor to maintain social order.

  • Administration and Popularity

    • Peisistratus's rule characterized as mild and kindly, compared to harsher successors.
    • He maintained stability and implemented local justice systems to avoid neglect of agriculture.
    • A notable incident reflects his merciful nature - he freed a farmer from taxes after an exchange of words.
    • His governance was so favorably viewed that many likened it to a "Golden Age".

  • Transition of Power to His Sons

    • On Peisistratus's death, his sons, Hippias and Hipparchus, inherited the regime.
    • Hippias was more statesmanlike, while Hipparchus favored the arts and literature but created familial tensions leading to discord.

  • Assassination of Hipparchus

    • Hipparchus’s unrequited love for Harmodius ignited a plot leading to his assassination at a festival.
    • This incited a brutal response from Hippias, transforming the regime into a harsher tyranny.

  • Hippias’s Downfall

    • Following the death of Hipparchus, Hippias fortified defenses and sought to relocate his government amid growing discontent.
    • His tyranny faced opposition from the Alcmaeonidae and leading Spartans.

  • Fall of the Peisistratidae

    • The eventual siege by King Cleomenes of Sparta led to the surrender of Hippias and diminished tyranny.
    • Peisistratus and his sons had ruled for a combined total of approximately 49 years.
    • Political strife followed between Isagoras and Cleisthenes, as democracy began to take shape later by cleaving to the common populace.