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User:Floccinaucinihilipilification1/Hippias (tyrant)

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Hippias of Athens (Greek: Ἱππίας ὁ Ἀθηναῖος) was born c. 547 BC and was one of the sons of Peisistratos and a mother whose name and family are unknown.[1] He was the last tyrant of Athens between about 527 BC and 510 BC, when Cleomenes I of Sparta successfully invaded Athens and forced Hippias to leave.[2]

Early Life edit

Hippias was the eldest son of Peisistratos who reigned as tyrant of Athens.[3] When his father was forced to flee to Eretria after insulting Megakles by having intercourse with his daughter in an indecent way, Peisistratos held counsel with his sons. Hippias suggested that they should retake the tyranny and his opinion was opted for and preparations began for which Athens fell to Peisistratos for the third time in 546 BC.[4]

Tyrant of Athens edit

 
Death of the tyrant Hipparchus, by the Syriskos Painter, 475-470 BC

He succeeded Peisistratos as tyrant of Athens in 528/7 BC when his father died of advance age. His brother Hipparchus, who may have ruled jointly with him, was murdered by Harmodius and Aristogeiton (the tyrannicides) in 514 BC. Hippias had Aristogeiton executed while Harmodius was killed on the spot.[5] It was said that Hippias thereafter became a bitter and cruel ruler, executing a large number of citizens and imposing harsh taxes.[6] Hippias' cruelty soon created unrest among his subjects and the Alkmeonid clan along with other exiles attempted to free Athens from Hippias by force.[7] As he began losing control, he sought military support from the Persians. He managed to form an alliance by marrying his daughter, Archedice, to Aiantides, son of Hippoklos, the tyrant of Lampsakos.[8] This relationship with Hippoklos helped facilitate Hippias' access to Darius' court at Susa.[9]

The Alcmaeonidae family of Athens, which Peisistratos had exiled in 546 BC, was concerned about Hippias forming alliances with the Persian ruling class, and began planning an invasion to depose him. In 510 BC Cleomenes I of Sparta successfully invaded Athens and trapped Hippias on the Acropolis.[10][11] They also took the Pisistratidae children hostage and forced Hippias to leave Athens in order to have them returned safely. He was granted safe passage to Sigeum from which he made the journey to Lampsakos and then to King Darius in Persia where he stayed at court.[12]

Attempts to Reclaim the Tyranny and Death edit

The Spartans later concluded that a free and democratic Athens would be dangerous to Spartan power and that it would be weaker and easier to control if under a tyranny. The Spartans then attempted to recall Hippias from Persia and re-establish the tyranny.[13] Hippias arrived but was soon forced into exile once more when the Corinthians and the other Spartan allies expressed that they did not think a tyranny should be imposed upon any of the Greek cities.[14] As Hippias made his way back, he was offered the cities of Anthemous and Iolkos but he refused them and made for Sigeion instead.[15] There he placed his illegitimate son, Hegesistratos, as tyrant of Sigeion.[16] Hippias returned to Asia were he railed against the Athenians to Artaphrenes, the governor of Sardis. The Athenians discovered Hippias' intentions, however, and sent a letter to Sardis to dissuade the Persians from listening to Athenian exiles but the Persians threatened to attack Athens if they did not accept Hippias' return. Nevertheless, the Athenians preferred to remain democratic despite the danger from Persia and refused to comply.[17]

 
The plain of Marathon

Soon after this, the Ionian Revolt began. It was put down in 494 BC, but Darius I of Persia was intent on punishing Athens for its role in the revolt. In 490 BC Hippias, still in the service of the Persians, encouraged Darius to invade Greece and attack Athens; when Darius initiated the campaign, Hippias himself accompanied the Persian fleet and suggested Marathon as the place where the Persian invasion of Attica should begin as it was the most suitable for their cavalry.[18] According to Herodotus, the night before the Persian fleet reached Attica, Hippias dreamt that he had sexual relations with his own mother, a dream which encouraged him greatly, since he took it as an omen that he would regain possession of his native land and die old there.[19] But when he set foot on Greek soil, one of his teeth, which was loose due to his advanced age, fell out on to the beach after Hippias fell into a coughing and sneezing fit when directing the troops. Although he searched frantically for the tooth, he was not able to retrieve it. He believed that this fulfilled the real meaning of his dream: he would only regain this bite of his native country for his lost tooth held his share.[20] Many Athenians were persuaded to join the battle when reminded that defeat under the Persians would lead to the re-installment of Hippias as tyrant.[21]

Hippias is said to have died on the return journey from the Battle of Marathon, at Lemnos.[22]

Legacy edit

Hippias had five sons by Myrrhine, the daughter of Callias son of Hyperechides.[23] One of these, Peisistratus, named after his grandfather, was one of the family members that held the archonship in Athens.[24] All of his sons along with other Peisistratids joined the invading Persian army of Xerxes in 480 BC. Never again would the Peisistratids have influence in Athens.[25]

 
The Temple of Olympian Zeus

Construction of the temple of Olympian Zeus, which Peisistratos began in the sixth century BC, continued under Hippias' reign.[26] Building was halted, however, amidst the political turmoil that followed Hippias' exile and the temple was not completed until the time of Hadrian in 125 AD.[27]

Hippias was one of several Greek aristocrats who took refuge in the Achaemenid Empire following reversals at home, other famous ones being Themistocles, Demaratos, Gongylos or Alcibiades.[28] In general, those were generously welcomed by the Achaemenid kings, and received land grants to support them, and ruled on various cities of Asia Minor.[28]

References edit

  1. ^ Bury, J. B. (1951). A history of Greece to the death of Alexander the Great, 3rd edition. London: MacMillan. p. 193.
  2. ^ Aristotle, The Athenian Constitution, Part 18
  3. ^ Thucydides 6.55.1
  4. ^ Herodotus 1.61.1-3
  5. ^ Thucydides 6.57.4
  6. ^ Smith, William (1851). A new classical dictionary of Greek and Roman biography, mythology and geography. New York: Harper. p. 671.
  7. ^ Herodotus 5.62.2
  8. ^ Fine, John V.A. (1983). The Ancient Greeks: A Critical History. Harvard University Press. p. 226. ISBN 9780674033146.
  9. ^ Thucydides 6.59.3
  10. ^ Roper, Brian S. (2013). The History of Democracy: A Marxist Interpretation. Pluto Press. pp. 21–22. ISBN 9781849647137.
  11. ^ "Hippias". Encyclopedia of the Ancient Greek World. Infobase Publishing. 2009. p. 157. ISBN 9781438110202. {{cite book}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |authors= (help)
  12. ^ Thucydides 6.59.4
  13. ^ 5.91.1-2
  14. ^ Herodotus 5.93.2
  15. ^ Herodotus 5.94.1
  16. ^ Herodotus 5.94.1
  17. ^ Herodotus 5.96.1-2
  18. ^ Smith, Willam (1851). A new classical dictionary of Greek and Roman biography, Mythology, and Geography. New York: Harper. p. 671.
  19. ^ Herodotus 6.107.1-2
  20. ^ Herodotus 6.107.3-4
  21. ^ Herodotus 6.109.3
  22. ^ "It was he who advised the landing at Marathon where the Athenian army won a decisive victory. He is said to have died at Lemnos on the journey home." in Hippias, tyrant of Athens. Encyclopedia Britannica.
  23. ^ Thucydides 6.55.1
  24. ^ Thucydides 6.54.6
  25. ^ Burn, A. R. (1988). The Pelican History of Greece. London: Penguin. p. 173.
  26. ^ Aristotle, Politics, Book V, chapter 11
  27. ^ "Athens Olympian Zeus Temple".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ a b Miller, Margaret C. (2004). Athens and Persia in the Fifth Century BC: A Study in Cultural Receptivity. Cambridge University Press. p. 98. ISBN 9780521607582.
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