2.2.19. Now comes one of the most remarkable things to happen in this period. The End of the Thirty Tyrants . The Thirty severely reduced the number of rights of Athenian citizens. The rule of the Thirty Tyrants ... might grow too strong if Athens were no longer in existence to serve as a counterweight. Down with Dictators Mobutu Sese Seko By Ishaan Tharoor Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011. [16] After the revolution that overthrew the Thirty Tyrants, Athens and its citizens struggled to reconcile and rebuild. Indeed, in his book Hipparchos (Commander of the cavalry), Xenophon mentions just one of the commanders (there were always two), only to revile him, while never mentioning the other. The Last Days of Socrates. Plato in the opening portion of his Seventh Letter recounts the rule of the Thirty Tyrants during his youth. [6] The list of the selected 3,000 was consistently revised. This “reign of terror,” after one year's continuance, was overthrown by Thrasybulos (B.C. Linder, Doug. Instead of all Athenians participating in legal functions, only a specially selected 500 could. Didn't happen. The Thirty Tyrants was an 8 months' government that ruled Athens after the Peloponnesian War, around 404 BCE. … in 404 bc, the so-called Thirty Tyrants, who tried to involve everybody in their wrongdoing, ordered him to arrest an innocent citizen whose money they coveted, he simply disobeyed. Print. The Spartan terms for peace for the end of the Peloponnesean War dictated that the Athenians tear down their long walls (connecting Peiraieus to Athens), surrender all ships but twelve, allow their exiles to return, have the same friends and enemies as the Spartans, and follow the Spartans as their leaders. This is true: the third world is still a mess, but as far as I know none of the other first-world countries are currently murdering their citizens en masse. They were first called the Thirty Tyrants, as far as we know, by Diodorus 2 Siculus. From the introduction: "There are no more enemies left to stand before you. The Thirty Tyrants became fearful and sent to Sparta for help, but … Upon Lysander's request, the Thirty were elected as a tyrannical government, not just as a legislative committee. Although Xenophon, who lived through the time of th… What did the Amnesty and Reconciliation Agreement propose? During the Thirty Tyrants’ rule, five percent of the Athenian population was killed, private property was confiscated, and democratic supporters were exiled. [citation needed] Consequently, the Thirty reduced the rights of Athenian citizens in order to institute an oligarchical regime. Earn Transferable Credit & Get your Degree, Get access to this video and our entire Q&A library. 400,000+ killed in Sudan recently. In fact, the Thirty chose 3,000 Athenian men "to share in the government". Walter Dhladhla / AFP / Getty Images. The Thirty Tyrants. A revolt against the Thirty Tyrants was instigated at Piraeus, the harbor of Athens, by returning exiled democrats under Thrasybulus. [4] However, not all Athenian men had their rights removed. They bec… They also condemned at least 1,500 persons to death and confiscated their property. Its two leading members were Tharamenes and Critias, a former acolyte of Socrates. Despite all this, not all Athenian men had their rights removed. One of their targets was one of their own, Theramenes, whom Xenophon depicts as revolted by Critias' excessive violence and injustice and trying to oppose him. What happened once the Thirty Tyrants were overthrown? This new government of the Thirty Tyrants would sustain its despotic and oftentimes arbitrary rule for less than a year, before revolution and the seemingly invincible democratic spirit of Athens eventually swept it away. [14], The Thirty Tyrants' brief reign was marred by violence and corruption. Gorgus, fl. Web. 1 May 2014. A group of exiles led by the general Thrasybulus after setting out from Thebes in 403 BC ended their regime of just over a year. The two leading members were Critias and Theramenes. Meanwhile, other Greek cities, dissatisfied with the Spartans, were offering their support to the men exiled by the Thirty Tyrants. Critias was killed. Stone, I.F. What was Socrates role with the Thirty Tyrants? Mention of the Thirty. Here are some of the most infamous tyrants. The rule of the Thirty made the former democracy resemble a golden age in comparison. The Thirty appointed a council of 500 to serve the judicial functions that had formerly belonged to all citizens. Unfortunately, not all of these sources agree with each other and scholars must make reasoned inferences regarding several key events. Sciences, Culinary Arts and Personal A group of extreme Laconising oligarchs, known as the Thirty Tyrants, seized power in Athens in 404 BC and held it … It was overthrown at Piraeus (now Piraiévs) by Thrasybulus . Its two leading members were Tharamenes and Critias, a former acolyte of Socrates. answer! Xenophon uses the episode to illustrate both Socrates' own critique of the slaughtering of Athenian citizens by the Thirty, as well as make the case that the relationship between Critias and Socrates had significantly deteriorated by the time Critias obtained power. Services, Ancient Greek Tyrant: Definition & Overview, Working Scholars® Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Dictators and Tyrants in World History. The Thirty severely reduced the number of rights of Athenian citizens. Create your account. Tyrants would usher in a new period of political rule that would shape the Western world and beyond. When we came out of the rotunda, the other four went to Salamis and arrested Leon, but I simply went home."[20]. Among the most prominent of the thirty names were those of Critias and Theramenes. Our information on the Thirty comes primarily from Xenophon, the Aristotelian Athenaion Politeia, Diodorus Siculus, and Justin with additional information from Plutarch, Pausanias, and Nepos. [12] They also hired 300 "lash-bearers" or whip-bearing men to intimidate Athenian citizens. What does thirty tyrants mean? Hell. Schools were turned into prisons or sites for torture, which was widespread. While the other four men obeyed, Socrates refused, not wanting to partake in the guilt of the executioners. There was a joyful procession back up to the Acropolis. © copyright 2003-2021 Study.com. The Thirty, as they were known, were ruthless and repressive and left Athenians discredited. [2] They became known as the "Thirty Tyrants" because of their cruel and oppressive tactics. Thirty Tyrants, oligarchy of ancient Athens (404–403 BC). An attempt by nobles in exile to force their way back failed, On this occasion, however, I again made it clear, not by my words but by my actions, that the attention I paid to death was zero (if that is not too unrefined a claim); but that I gave all my attention to avoiding doing anything unjust or unholy. The Thirty Tyrants (Ancient Greek: οἱ τριάκοντα τύραννοι, hoi triákonta týrannoi) were a pro-Spartan oligarchy installed in Athens after its defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 404 BCE. I … Finally, in a pitched battle, Critias is killed and the Thirty are overthrown. THE TYRANTS OF THE PAST. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1969. [5] These hand-selected individuals had the right to carry weapons, to have a jury trial, and to reside within city limits. The Thirty appointed a council of 500 to serve the judicial functions formerly belonging to all the citizens. The anti would then say, "well, we're not Sudan, Nazi Germany, etc". Now, unhindered, you will get the chance to tell your side of the narrative, however you decide." Ten of the fifty-one were to rule the city, and eleven were sent to rule Piraeus. Critias accused Theramenes of conspiracy and treason, and then forced him to drink hemlock. They also condemned at least 1,500 persons to death and confiscated their property. The uprising that overthrew the Thirty in 403 BCE was orchestrated by a group of exiles led by Thrasybulus. After the assassination of his brother Hipparchus (514), however, Hippias was driven to repressive measures. In Plato's Apology, Socrates recounts an incident in which the Thirty once ordered him (and four other men) to bring before them Leon of Salamis, a man known for his justice and upright character, for execution. Critias and Theramenes were prominent members. [citation needed], The names of the Thirty are listed by Xenophon:[22], For Trebellius Pollio list in the Historia Augusta, see. Both Isocrates and Aristotle (the latter in the Athenian Constitution) have reported that the Thirty executed 1500 people without trial. Plato Epistle 7 ... Not long afterwards the rule of the Thirty was overthrown and with it the entire consitution. The Thirty Tyrants. 1 Xen. N.p., 2002. Aymann Ismail. The People of Plato: A Prosopography of Plato and Other Socratics. Lysias' brother Polemarchus "fell victim to the Thirty Tyrants". Meaning of thirty tyrants. [15] However, the more violent the Thirty's regime became, the more opposition they faced. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. You can read my account of what happened here, ... where rioters were stunned when the police actually started to shut them down. Amnesty was extended to all but the Thirty and a few others, who had fled to Eleusis; most of them were killed two or three years later. The proposal was of course carried. Advertisement. There have been many tyrants in history and they were responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people. Socrates is summoned before the group and ordered not to instruct or speak to anyone, whereupon Socrates mocks the order by asking sarcastically whether he will be allowed to ask to buy food in the marketplace. 2.4.21; [Arist.] Hundreds of thousands of Cambodian people dug their own mass graves, which are now referred to as The Killing Fields. Critias was killed in the fighting at the doors of Athens. Socrates remained in the city through this period, which caused the public to associate him with the Thirty and may have contributed to his eventual death sentence, especially since Critias had been his student.[19]. Lysander himself addressed the Assembly, and contemptuously told them that they had better take thought for their personal safety, which now lay at his mercy, than for their political constitution. We also possess numerous mentions of the regime in the speeches of Andocides, Lysias, Demosthenes, and Isocrates. Hippias, tyrant of Athens from 528/527 to 510 bc. - Defeated them once when they came to get him at Phyle - Snuck into into port city of Piraeus and took up a fortified position - Spartans and 30 attacked and Critias killed - Sparta said Athens could be independent again and left and the Thirty Tyrants were overthrown. The Thirty Tyrants (404–403 BCE) were an Oligarchy that overthrew the Athenian democracy and sent hundreds of Athenians to their deaths during its eight‐month rule (Xen. 403). He explains that following the revolution, fifty-one men became rulers of a new government, with a specific group of thirty in charge of the public affairs of Athens. Aridolis, 480 BC (POW) Amyntas, after 480 BC; Ambracia. Plato also includes an account of the interaction between Socrates and the Thirty. Answer to: What happened once the Thirty Tyrants were overthrown? Tyrants were looked upon favorably by the population, rather than feared or disdained. The Thirty Tyrants (Ancient Greek: οἱ τριάκοντα τύραννοι, hoi triákonta týrannoi) were a pro-Spartan oligarchy installed in Athens after its defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 404 BCE. He was a patron of poets and craftsmen, and under his rule Athens prospered. [4], The Thirty's regime did not meet with much overt opposition, although many Athenians disliked the new form of government. Due to their tough laws and government, the Thirty Tyrants, elected by the Athenians, started to face strong opposition. By disobeying, Socrates may have been placing his own life in jeopardy, and he claimed it was only the disbanding of the oligarchy soon afterward that saved his life: "When the oligarchy came into power, the Thirty Commissioners in their turn summoned me and four others to the Round Chamber and instructed us to go and fetch Leon of Salamis from his home for execution. The Thirty Tyrants were a pro-Spartan oligarchy installed in Athens after Athens' defeat in the Peloponnesian War in April 404 BC. This is a ... (overthrown and roasted) Telemachus, after 554 BC; Alcamenes, 6th/5th century BC; Alcandros, 6th/5th century BC; Theron, 488-472 BC; Thrasydaeus, 472 BC (expelled and executed) Phintias, c. 288-279 BC; Sosistratus, 279-277 BC; Alabanda. Tweet; Prev. The exiled Athenian general Thrasybulus seized the Athenian fort at Phyle, with the help of the Thebans, and then took the Piraeus, in the spring of 403. Historians have argued that the violence and brutality the Thirty carried out in Athens was necessary to transition Athens from a democracy to an oligarchy. After the Thirty had been overthrown in a coup that killed Critias, Lysias accused Eratosthenes of the murder of Lysias' brother Polemarchus. Become a Study.com member to unlock this The Thirty were concerned with the revision and/or erasure of democratic laws inscribed on the wall next to the Stoa Basileios. By Tim Lambert . Advertisement. Instead of ... Athens' government was once again a functioning democracy; its financial and military strength, however, was shattered, and its society harbored the memory of a bitter divisiveness that no amnesty could completely dispel. And once again I felt the desire, this time more strongly, to take part in public and political affairs. Beating people to death with iron bars and hoes, running them over with bulldozers, burning or burying them alive, drowning and throwing to crocodiles were all popular with Pol Pot. Usher, S. "Xenophon, Critias and Theramenes" in: This page was last edited on 12 January 2021, at 00:23. Reconciliation was facilitated by the new Spartan commander, Pausanias (2), and democracy was restored in September 403. [1] The Thirty Tyrants maintained power for eight months. Mary Tudor was Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon's daughter. Pol. 7 of 15. Critias was killed, and his supporters fled from … [11] Many wealthy citizens were executed simply so the oligarchs could confiscate their assets, which were then distributed among the Thirty and their supporters. However, he did not attempt to warn or save Leon of Salamis. However, Catherine fell from favor with Henry VIII. Advertisement. [10] The Thirty removed criminals as well as many ordinary citizens whom they considered "unfriendly" to the new regime for expressing support for the democracy. The Thirty Tyrants (, hoi triákonta týrannoi) were a pro-Spartan oligarchy installed in Athens after its defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 404 BCE. This he did despite the fact that such disobedience was even more dangerous … Instead, the Athenians declared an amnesty. [18], Due to their desire to remain in complete control over Athens, the Thirty sought to exile or kill anyone who outwardly opposed their regime. A few months later, the moderates who had originally supported the Thirty Tyrants began to flee, especially after Critias murdered their leader, Theramenes. [3], With Spartan support, the Thirty established an interim government in Athens. Upon Lysander 's request, the Thirty were elected as a government, not just as a legislative committee. Definition of thirty tyrants in the Definitions.net dictionary. 59. ... After the revolution that overthrew the Thirty Tyrants, Athens and her citizens struggled to reconcile and rebuild. Plato, and Hugh Tredennick. [7], Led by Critias, the Thirty Tyrants presided over a reign of terror in which they executed, murdered, and exiled hundreds of Athenians, seizing their possessions afterward. A revolt against the Thirty Tyrants was instigated at Piraeus, the harbor of Athens, by returning exiled democrats under Thrasybulus. There was an expectation that there would be revenge killings, mass prosecutions. Instead of all Athenians participating in legal functions, only a specially selected 500 could. [21], In his Memorabilia (Bk 1, Ch 2), Xenophon reports a contentious confrontation between Socrates and the Thirty, Critias included. Ath. Share. Eventually, rebel forces from... Our experts can answer your tough homework and study questions. It was created by Lysander under Spartan auspices after the Peloponnesian War. List of ancient Greek tyrants. The Thirty Tyrants maintained power for eight months. TIME takes a look at other dictators who were overthrown by their own people. Athenian Democracy: Solon and Cleisthenes, Glencoe U.S. History - The American Vision: Online Textbook Help, Prentice Hall World History Connections to Today, The Modern Era: Online Textbook Help, Glencoe World History: Online Textbook Help, SAT Subject Test US History: Practice and Study Guide, SAT Subject Test World History: Practice and Study Guide, High School World History: Help and Review, High School World History: Homework Help Resource, Middle School US History: Help and Review, Post-Civil War U.S. History: Help and Review, American History Since 1865: Tutoring Solution, Post-Civil War American History: Homework Help, Biological and Biomedical Upon Lysander's request, the Thirty were elected as a tyranical government, not just as a legislative committee. Hell. All rights reserved. After the revolution, Athens needed to decide the best way to govern the liberated city-state and to reconcile the atrocities committed by the Thirty. Next. Later on in his Seventh Letter, Plato describes the interaction between the Thirty and Socrates from his own point of view: "They tried to send a friend of mine, the aged Socrates, whom I should scarcely scruple to describe as the most upright man of that day, with some other persons to carry off one of the citizens by force to execution, in order that, whether he wished it, or not, he might share the guilt of their conduct; but he would not obey them, risking all consequences in preference to becoming a partner in their iniquitous deeds. Who was a tyrant when Aeschylus was born? Hitler and Mussolini: Fascist Dictators and Partners in Tyranny. As a result of the Phyle Campaign the Thirty Tyrants were overthrown. Powerful as it was, that government did not terrify me into doing a wrong action. Critias was killed, and his supporters fled from … Why did tyranny decline in ancient Greece? I point out that hundreds of millions were murdered by their governments during the 20th century. Although brief, their reign resulted in the killing of 5% of the Athenian population, the confiscation of citizens' property, and the exile of other democraticsupporters. Nails, Debra. "[17], The Italian historian Luciano Canfora has inferred that another of Socrates' students, Xenophon, might have played an important part in the rule of the Thirty, as one of the two commanders of the cavalry, which were the Thirty's militia. Mary was born on 18 February 1516. that the Thirty appointed these select few as the only men the Thirty could find who were devotedly loyal to their regime. The Thirty were concerned with the revision if not erasure of democratic laws inscribed on the wall next to the Stoa Basileios. "The Trial of Socrates: An Account".