Yesterday morning, the city of Athens experienced a peace that it has been missing for almost five years. Following the dramatic siege of the Acropolis over the last few days, the tyrant Hippias was finally driven out of Athens in exchange for his sons’ safety. Athenians, it appears true: the Tyranny has fallen.
There have been various attempts over the past few weeks to ‘free Athens’ and rid the city of Hippias and his rule. Allegedly, the Alcmaeonids and Spartans have been the ring-leaders of the plot to overthrow the tyranny, with rumours that the Delphic oracle has been influencing their plans for many months.
The Spartans’ first expedition sent a man named Anchimolus across the sea, but upon arrival he was utterly routed by Cineas of Thessaly and a thousand cavalry, laying down their lives in Hippias’ defence. Anchimolus was defeated and killed, taking the hopes of many Athenians down with him, but the Spartans learnt from their mistakes quickly as the second expedition proved to be an outstanding success.
As was reported last week, king Cleomens of Sparta displayed traits of a hero as he led a much larger force towards Athens, swiftly and smoothly defeating the Thessalian cavalry that defended the entrance to Attica. Eventually, Hippias was blockaded and confined within the Pelargic wall of the Acropolis where King Cleomens and the Alcmaeonids laid siege to him.
It was discovered soon after this that Hippias’ sons had been captured as they were being sent to safety, creating some very different concerns for the ruler of Athens. It is rumoured that Hippias capitulated on the condition that his sons were returned to safety; he made a binding agreement to leave Attica within 5 days accompanied by his family, evacuating their possessions and handing over the Acropolis to the Athenians.
For 36 years, the Daily Chronos has followed the drama and action of a tyranny that has literally been ‘running in the family’. When Pisistratus - a man claimed to be the greatest ruler that Athens has ever seen - died from an illness almost 17 years ago, his sons took over the regime and continued Pisistratus’ management of affairs in the city: they were Hippias, Hipparchus and Thessalus.
Hippias, known to be public-spirited and sensible in character, is Pisistratus’ elder son, closely followed by Hipparchus, who many say was a “childish, amorous boy who was fond of the arts”. Both Hippias and Hipparchus were in control of affairs when Pisistratus died, on account of their age and reputation, but Thessalus on the other hand had almost no share in the politics of Athens, being the youngest of the 3 and the only one born outside of Pisistratus’ marriage to Timonassa.
Though Thessalus was bold and insolent in his way of life, it is argued that Hippias and Hipparchus were much more prepared to take on the leadership on a city, Hippias being a learned student of oracles and Hipparchus abreast of the most modern culture.
For a few years, the politics of Athens ran smoothly; the Pisistratids appeared to be coping with responsibility and overall, the Athenians and all those affected by the leadership seemed to be content with the direction that Athens was headed. But the tyranny soon faced trouble and sources suggest that this was all down to Hipparchus.
Allegedly, Hipparchus fell in love with an attractive young man named Harmodius, but Hipparchus failed to win his affection: at the time, Harmodius had mutual amorous feelings with Aristogiton. Rumour has it that Hipparchus found it difficult to suppress his anger at this, giving bitter indications of his feelings and even casting aspersions on Harmodius as effeminate.
However, the disaster struck around 4 years ago, at the time of a major Athenian festival.
The Panathenaea festival (due in a few weeks time) takes place annually on Athena’s birthday to honour the majestic goddess, and it rivals the Olympics in its popularity. On the 28th Hekatombaion, the city comes together in a grand procession from the Kerameikos to the Acropolis following a torch-race. A major element of this procession is the transfer of offerings to Athena, including the sacred peplos showing the Gigantomachy – Battle of Gods and Giants (this is the same subject that can be seen on the pediment of the temple of Athena in the Acropolis). Women play an important role in the procession, either carrying a water-jug on the shoulder or a basket of offerings for Athena.
Hoping to avenge himself, it is rumoured that Hipparchus prevented Harmodius’ younger sister from taking part in the Panathenaea, refusing to allow her to ‘bear a basket’ in the procession.
The first blow aimed at the power of the tyrants was allegedly due to this particular incident, but it appears that very few were initiated in the plot against the Pisistratids. Now with many supporters, Harmodius and Aristogiton formed a plan to slay the Athenian tyrants, choosing the day of the procession to reduce suspicion.
During the Panathenaea, it was Hippias’ function to receive the procession on the Acropolis and Hipparchus’ to dispatch it; Harmodius and Aristogiton planned to catch Hippias on the Acropolis. However, while they were waiting, it is rumoured that one of the conspirators was seen greeting Hippias in a friendly manner in the outer Ceramicus. Leaping to the conclusion that he was turning informer, Harmodius and Aristogiton acted without the others and killed Hipparchus as he was organising the procession at the Leocoreum: the disaster had struck.
It is said that during interrogation, Aristogiton denounced many men who were friends to the tyrants, persuaded Hippias to give his right hand as a pledge and then, on taking it, reviled Hippias for giving his hand to his brother’s murderer. Many say that it was due to Hippias’ anger that he pulled out his dagger and killed Aristogiton.
There is a lot of controversy around Aristogiton’s allegations: perhaps Aristogiton denounced the tyrant’s friends deliberately in order to pollute and weaken the tyranny by the killing of innocent and friendly men; perhaps the men really were involved in the plot and he was telling the truth. There is no way of knowing now, but Aristogiton’s integrity still lingers in the air.
The incident at the Panathenaea led to a change in Hippias’ government and a very cruel tyranny. Hippias began to take revenge for Hipparchus’ death through expulsions and executions, and many say that he became a harsh and suspicious despot after his dealings with Aristogiton.
Around 4 years after Hipparchus’ murder, Athens was in a bad way and Hippias began to fortify Munichia with intent to move there; he was soon expelled by king Cleomens and Hippias started to turn his eyes towards Persia, where a new power had begun to cast its shadow on the Hellenic world.
The Athenian exiles, including the Alcmaeonids, yearned to return home but knew they could not bring about a return on their own, in spite of many attempts. It appears that many Athenians came to hate Hippias also, longing to shake off the reins of the tyranny and even cherishing the memory of Harmodius and Aristogiton.
After many failed attempts, the Alcmaeonids obtained a contract to build the temple at Delphi after it was destroyed by an earthquake a few months ago. The old sanctuary of Apollo had been burned down during the earthquake and there was an enormous cost of around 300 talents to build the temple. Due to a scarcity of money, a Panhellenic subscription was organised that raised just over a quarter of the money needed (the rest was defrayed from resources at Delphi). There was also a large amount of money passed through the Alcmaeonids’ hands during the temple building, which many claim enabled them to hire mercenaries for their design on Attica.
The Alcmaeonids had allegedly taken care to cultivate an intimacy with the priesthood of Delphi and, when their failed attempts to seize power made them realise their need for foreign help, they used their influence with the Delphic oracle to put pressure on Sparta.
Each time the Spartans consulted the oracle, it is rumoured that the priestess commanded them to “first liberate Athens”; the Spartans were eventually persuaded to help, despite their friendly relationship with the Pisistratids.
It is understandable that Hippias appeared anxious to keep his close ties with Sparta after Hipparchus’ death, but the Delphic oracle had a greater power. It is also possible that the Spartans’ thought Hippias’ dealings with Persia were quite suspicious: Hippias married his daughter, Archedice to a son of the tyrant of Lampsacus, who was known to have a very powerful influence at the Persian court. With their personal interests at heart, perhaps it was this suspicion that encouraged the Spartans to help in the siege of Athens.
Many today will remember the romantic attempts of Harmodius and Aristogiton as the poignant moment of the tyranny overthrow; many will consider the tyrant-slayers to be the heroes of Hippias’ downfall. There are rumours of a sculptor to be built of Harmodius and Aristogiton that may be set up in the Acropolis: perhaps the market-place.
It is likely that the Athenian republic will have to pay something for its deliverance but as yet, no one is quite sure how much it might be. It is also likely that Sparta may acquire a certain right of interference with the affairs of Athens as a ‘reward’ for their help in Hippias’ defeat. Whatever the long-term ramifications of the defeat may be, for now we can at least be sure that Athens is, once again, a free city.
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