"dc-date","Collection","Icon","dc-publisher","Type","dc-creator","UserLevel","Name","dc-subject","Id","dc-title","Redirect","Chronology","dc-description"
"","Agora","","","Webpage","","","Birth of Democracy: Tyranny","","Agora:Webpage:cfc7e83cc722831a91df2e42e27c41d2","","http://agathe.gr/democracy/tyranny.html","","Tyranny As happened in many other Greek states, a tyrant arose in Athens in the 6th century B.C. His name was Peisistratos, and after several unsuccessful attempts he seized power in 546 B.C. and ruled until his death in 527, after which he was succeeded by his two sons, Hippias and Hipparchos. Such tyrannies were a common feature of Greek political life as states made the transition from an aristocracy to either a democracy or an oligarchy. The Greek word τύραννος indicates that the individual seized or held power unconstitutionally but does not necessarily carry the negative force the word has today. Often the tyrant arose as the champion of the common people against the aristocracy. Peisistratos, head of one of the large aristocratic families, seized power by force during a period of factional strife. Though many Athenians fled or were forced into exile (Herodotus 1.64), Aristotle's assessment of his tenure is positive: Peisistratos' administration of the state was, as has been said, moderate, and more constitutional than tyrannic; he was kindly and mild in everything, and in particular he was merciful to offenders and moreover he advanced loans of money to the poor for their industries. (Athenian Constitution 16.1-2) Aristotle has further praise for the tyrants, at least in their early days: And in all other matters too he gave the multitude no trouble during his rule but always worked for peace and safeguarded tranquility; so that men were often to be heard saying that the tyranny of Peisistratos was the Golden Age of Kronos; for it came about later when his son succeeded him that the government became much harsher. And the greatest of all the things said of him was that he was popular and kindly in temper. For he was willing to administer everything according to the laws in all matters, never giving himself any advantage. ... Both the notables and the men of the people were most of them willing for him to govern, since he won over the former by his hospitality and the latter by his assistance in their private affairs and was good-natured to both. (Athenian Constitution 16.7-9) That Peisistratid rule was surprisingly open is borne out by a fragment of a list of archons which shows that in 524 B.C. the future founder of democracy, Kleisthenes himself, held the chief magistracy while the tyrants were still in power, as did another rival aristocrat, Miltiades. For 599/1 B.C. we can read the name of the younger Peisistratos, grandson of the founder of the tyranny. Fragment Of an inscription, about 425 B.C. H.: 0.15 m. W.: 0.195 m. Athens, Agora Museum I 4120. Broken from a large marble block inscribed with a list of archons of Athens, this piece preserves parts of the names of six archons of the 520's B.C.; two of them are members of the family of Peisistratos: In the second line we read Hippias, his son, and in the last line, Peisistratos the younger, his grandson. The inscription also records the names of two other well-known politicians active in the late 6th century B.C.: Miltiades, future hero of the battle of Marathon against the Persians, and Kleisthenes, later to be the initiator of democratic reforms. The letter forms date the inscription to the later part of the 5th century B.C., which means the piece shown here recorded the names of individuals who held office a century earlier. His reign, like that of so many tyrants, was characterized by large public works projects, the first in Athens for centuries. Large temples and altars were constructed for Zeus Olympios, Apollo Pythios, and the Twelve Gods. In addition, an extensive system of aqueducts and fountainhouses brought a reliable supply of good clean water into the city. The impact of this fine new water system is reflected in the fountainhouse scenes painted on dozens of black-figure hydrias (water jars) and other pots in the late 6th century. Model of the Altar of the Twelve Gods. Model by Petros Demetriades and Kostas Papoulias, Athens, Agora Museum. Literary sources tell us that the younger Peisistratos, grandson of the founder of the tyranny, dedicated the Altar of the Twelve Gods when he was archon in 522/1 B.C. This monument was near the middle of the Agora square, the actual center of Athens, and was the point from which distances from Athens were measured. The altar was famous in antiquity as a place of asylum and refuge. No traces remain of the altar itself, but excavation has revealed a foundation of squared blocks supporting a low sill of limestone blocks with the marks of a stone fence on the upper surface which formed the altar enclosure. Nearby is a statue base with a inscription that identifies the structure as the Altar of the Twelve Gods: ""Leagros the son of Glaukon dedicated this to the Twelve Gods."" Athenian (Attic) white-ground, black-figure lekythos (oil container), about SOO B.C. Attributed to the Gela Painter. H.: 0.265 m. Athens, Agora Museum P 24106. Building fountainhouses and thus improving the water supply of the city was one of several civic works initiated under the Peisistratid tyranny. In the picture on this vase, water gushes from a spout shaped like the head of a panther into the water jar (hydria) below. A woman waits for it to fill while another woman goes off with her jar full. The fountainhouse shown here is small, but we know of one fountainhouse built at this time that had nine waterspouts, the Enneakrounos, a building that has not so far been located by archaeologists. As this picture suggests, fountainhouses became meeting places for women whose otherwise circumscribed lives allowed them few such opportunities. Matters changed with the death of Peisistratos when his two sons Hippias and Hipparchos took over in 527 B.C. Aristotle describes the characters of the two brothers: Affairs were now under the authority of Hipparchos and Hippias, owing to their station and their ages, but the government was controlled by Hippias, who was the elder and was statesmanlike and wise by nature; whereas Hipparchos was fond of amusement and lovemaking and had literary tastes; it was he who brought to Athens the poets such as Anakreon and Simonides, and the others. (Athenian Constitution 18.1) Drawing of an inscribed molding from the Altar of Apollo Pytbios. Drawing by William B. Dinsmoor, Jr. Literary sources tell us that the Altar of Apollo Pythios, like the Altar of the Twelve Gods, was built when Peisistratos the Younger was archon, in 522/1 B.C. Inscribed bases from the shrine survive and have been found near the Olympieion, so it is assumed that the altar was in that area. The inscription on the section of molding from the altar illustrated here reads: ""This memorial of his office Peisistratos son of Hippias set up in the precinct of Pythian Apollo."""
"","Agora","","","Webpage","","","Birth of Democracy: The Athenian Army","","Agora:Webpage:e3cd4e64e661a81dab752038cbf174ae","","http://agathe.gr/democracy/the_athenian_army.html","","The Athenian Army From the very beginning, the Athenians were compelled to fight for their new democracy. Their dramatic victories over the Boiotians and Chalkidians in 506 B.C. led many to attribute Athenian military success to their political system. This notion was greatly enhanced by the extraordinary victory of the Athenian army over the Persians at Marathon in 490 B.C. On numerous subsequent occasions, Athenian citizens were called upon to go into battle against other states, both Greek and foreign, most often against oligarchies and aristocracies, since the Athenians tended to ally themselves with other democracies. Fragment of an Athenian (Attic) red-figure bell-krater (mixing bowl), Stb century B.C. H.: 0.12 7 m. Athens, Agora Museum P 15837. A warrior with helmet, sword in scabbard, spear and shield (device: snake) attacks an opponent to the left (now missing). The army was managed by the polemarch, together with ten generals, one elected from each of the tribes. In their attempt to ensure equality, the Athenians by the 5th century allotted most offices, even the highest archonships. Some positions, however, such as treasurers and the water commissioner, were simply too important to be left to the luck of the draw; these remained elective and therefore became real positions of power whereby a politician demonstrated popular support and remained in office for many years. The generalships are the clearest example of this practice, and many of the leading statesmen of Athens held the position. Perikles, for instance, never served as eponymous archon-nominally the highest post in the state-but he was elected general of his tribe year after year, and from that position he guided Athenian affairs for decades. By far the largest component of the army was the infantry composed of hoplites, citizens fighting in a full set of armor. They went into battle protected by a helmet, breastplate, and greaves (shin guards), carrying a large round shield and long thrusting spear. On occasion, the state would issue such equipment to citizens who could not afford a set of their own. Athenian (Attic) red-figure lekythos (oil container), late 6th century B.C., attributed to the Roundabout Painter. H.: 0.138 m. Athens, Agora Museum P 24061. The Roundabout Painter was named for this vase, which shows three warriors and a trumpeter running around the body of the jug. The warriors wear helmets and greaves, and carry shields ornamented with various devices: an anchor, insect, or serpent. Citizens received military training during their service as ephebes from age 18 to 20: The people elect two athletic trainers and instructors for them, to teach them their drill as heavy-armed soldiers and to use the bow, javelin, and sling.... They go on in this mode of life for the first year; in the following year an assembly is held in the theater, and the ephebes give a display of drill before the people and receive a shield and spear from the state and they then serve on patrols in the country and are quartered at the guard-posts. Their service on patrol goes on for two years; the uniform is a mantle; they are exempt from all taxes.... When the two years are up, they now are members of the general body of citizens. (Aristotle, Athenian Constitution 42.2-5) Richer Athenians enrolled in the cavalry, as always, a smaller elite military force made up of those wealthy enough to own and maintain a good mount. The state carried out an inspection and registered each horse on an annual basis, so that the owner could draw a maintenance allowance. Several dozen lead strips recording the color, brand, and value of the cavalry mounts have been found in the Agora, where the cavalry trained. Inscribed lead strip from the cavalry records, 4th century B.C. L.: 0.073 m. Athens, Agora Museum IL 1563. Recovered from a well in the northwest corner of the Agora, this lead strip carries an inscription recording the registration of a horse. On one side is the name of the owner, Konon; on the other a description of the horse, a chestnut, with a centaur brand, as well as its price, 700 drachmas. Such strips were clearly used for the annual assessment of the cavalry and would then form the basis of a reimbursement by the state should the horse be lost in battle. At the end of the year these records would become obsolete and could be reused or discarded, as in the case of this example found in a well. From the series of similar strips recovered in Athens we learn that the maximum assessment of a horse was 1,200 drachmas, well below the value of many horses and representing the maximum limit of the state's responsibility; the minimum amount was 500 drachmas. Lead armor tokens, 3rd century B.C. D.: 0.018-0.021 m. Athens, Agora Museum IL 1575 (helmet), 1573-1574 (breastplate), 1579 (shield), and 1572, 1576-1577 (greave). Each token is stamped on both sides. On one side a piece of armor is shown: a helmet, breastplate, shield, or greave, and on the other side, the letter Α (alpha), Γ (gamma), or Δ (delta). These tokens might have been used as exchanges for state-owned armor. The letters may have designated sizes for the armor pictured on the other side. Public armor was most likely kept on hand for the arming of irregulars, thetes, and perhaps even slaves, at the time of mobilization, whereas Athenians on the official hoplite register were legally responsible for procuring their own military equipment. By the 3rd century B.C. there was only a small standing army, so the number of irregulars must have grown to include much of the city's middle-class population. Here, too, were found the clay disks stamped with the name of the hipparch (cavalry commander) Pheidon. The 4th-century B.C. historian Xenophon describes the duties of a cavalry commander: First, he must sacrifice to propitiate the gods on behalf of the cavalry; second, he must make the processions during the festivals worth seeing; further, he must conduct all the other obligatory displays before the people with as much splendor as possible (The Cavalry Commander 3.11 translated by E.C. Marchand). Clay tokens of a cavalry commander, 4th century B.C. D.: 0. 02 9-0.034 m. Athens, Agora Museum MC 1164-1165, 1169-1170, 1179, 1183, 1189, 1190. The tokens are stamped with the title, hipparch, cavalry commander; his assignment: ""at Lemnos;"" and the man's name and deme: Pheidon of Thria. The eight examples reproduced here are part of a group of thirty similar tokens found in the same well, at a level dating to the second half of the 4th century B.C., as the inscribed lead strip describing Konon's horse. During the 4th century, the cavalry commander at Lemnos was not only one of the principal officers of the cavalry but also the ranking Athenian official on the island. In a remarkable example of correlation between archaeological and literary evidence, Pheidon may be the same individual mentioned in a fragment of the 4th-century B.C. comic poet Mnesimachos, who wrote: ""Go forth, Manes, to the Agora, to the Herms, the place frequented by the phylarchs (other cavalry commanders), and to their handsome pupils whom Pheidon trains in mounting and dismounting"" (Athenaios, Deipnosophistai 9.402). Clay tokens or passports of a border commander, 4th century B.C. D.: 0.039-0.04 m. Athens, Agora Museum SS 8080, MC 1245. The tokens were inscribed with the name of Xenokles, his deme, Perithoidai, and his title, Peripolarch. The peripolarch was the military officer responsible for the frontier garrisons and the border patrols. These tokens were probably used as passports and for messengers reporting to and from military headquarters."