Lecture 12 - Tyranny and other political forms Flashcards
Extent of tyranny - Thucydides
“As Greece became more powerful, devoting itself even more than before to the acquisition of wealth, and as revenues increased, for the most part tyrannies were set up in cities”.
Origins of tyranny - ancient theory - Aristotle
“Nearly all tyrants started out as popular leaders” “Some tyrannies were established in this way, when cities increased in size” “some again were from elected officials who then aimed at a more authoritarian rule”.
Pheidon of Argos
One tyrant who set up a tyranny from an existing kingship.
Dionysius of Syracuse
Tyrant who was first a popular leader.
Aristocrats into tyrants? Example of Kypselus
Initially the political system of Corinth was oligarchical. Pythia informed Labda that her son, Eition would rule monarchical. People plotted to kill him, however his son, Kypselus lived on. He went to the pythia and received the answer that he would become a tyrant of Corinth if he successfully seized power.
Factions - Herodotus
“Pisistratus set his mind on tyranny and assembled a third faction”
Constitutional arrangements of tyranny
No specific constitutional arrangement. However Cleisthenes did reform the tribes which divided the people between the ‘rulers’ and the ‘pig-men’. Also Pisistratus established law courts among the villages of Attica, so changes do take place.
Political style - consensus’ - Aristotle
“The reason for the long-lasting nature of the Kypselid tyranny was that Kypselos was a leader of the people and continuously throughout his period of office dispensed with a bodyguard”.
Political style - violence and terror - example of Periander
Initially Periander was less violent than his father. He became increasingly violent due to his correspondence with Thrasybulus who had recommended that Periander “murder all the people in the city who were outstanding in influence or ability”.
Both consensus and violence? Aristotle
Argues that at first Periander governed with his “bodyguard of spear-bearers”. However he was moderate in other respects - he was not unjust and hated corruption. He also set up a council which did not permit the expenditure to exceed the revenues.
Inter-state relations - empire building: Herodotus
“Polycrates was the first Greek we know of to plan the dominion of the sea…he had high hopes of making himself master of Ionia and the islands”.
Inter-state relations - diplomacy, power and piracy: Polycrates
Hdt suggests that he befriended Amasis: the king of Egypt through a treaty, exchanging gifts with one another. Shortly, Polycrates’ power grew and he became celebrated throughout Greece and Ionia. He won many wars and successfully plundered loot.
Inter-state relations - big buildings: Aristotle
“It is a device of tyranny to make the subjects poor, so that a guard may not be kept and that people busy with their daily affairs may not have the leisure to plot against their ruler”.
Inter-state relations - self-interest: Thucydides
“In the Greek cities governed by tyrants, the tyrants’ only concern was for themselves”.
End of tyrannies - general view by Aristotle
“Oligarchy and tyranny are the most short-lived forms of constitution”. “The tyranny which lasted the longest was the one at Sikyon, the tyranny of Orthagoras ahd his sons, which lasted for a hundred years. The reason for this is that the tyrants treated their subjects moderately”.
