The Treatment of the War Dead in Archaic Athens by Kucewicz Cezary;

Author:Kucewicz, Cezary; [Kucewicz, Cezary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Published: 2020-10-08T00:00:00+00:00

Peisistratus’ tyranny

Solon’s constitutional reforms left a mark on the social and political structures of early Athens, setting in motion a number of processes which increased the public authority and control over its citizens, impacting the long-term growth of the Athenian state. His reforms, however, apparently did little to establish short-term peace in the polis, as conflicts among the elites brought the city to a renewed state of turmoil. According to Aristotle’s account, in the years following Solon’s reforms the Athenians twice failed to appoint an archon, and had to remove Damasias by force, on account of him keeping the office beyond his tenure ([Ath. Pol.] 13.1–3). In general, the city was in a state of continuous internal disorder, as the people ‘were always engaging in party strife’ for the office of the archon.

The party strife (stasis) which dominated in Athens in the early decades of the sixth century BC is indeed mentioned by a number of other sources, providing further testimony to the resentment which Solon’s legislation must have evoked among the Athenian elites.82 The subsequent division into three separate political factions according to geographical region: ‘the men of the Coast’, ‘the men of the Plain’ and ‘the party of the Hillmen’, has caused a lot of controversy among modern scholars trying to establish the political ideologies and social backing behind each party.83 One thing which remains clear, however, is that there was a definite winner at the end of the conflict, namely Peisistratus, the leader of the Hillmen party, who seized power and became the tyrant of Athens. The tyrannical rule which he started and later passed on to his sons lasted for nearly half a century, stabilized the political situation in Athens and brought economic prosperity to the majority of citizens, leading Aristotle to describe it as ‘the Golden Age of Cronus’ in Athens ([Ath. Pol.] 16.7).

Peisistratus’ early rise to power is vaguely documented by Herodotus, who mentions that he distinguished himself in the war against Megara, performing ‘great deeds’ during the Athenian capture of Nisaea (1.59).84 The long conflict with the Megarians for the possession of Salamis and Eleusis began, as we have seen, in the second half of the seventh century BC and continued through the Cylonian affair and the reforms of Solon, with the initiative swinging repeatedly from one side to another. But taking control of the Megarian port of Nisaea sometime in the 560s BC, proved to be the final and decisive victory, ending the war in Athens’ favour.85 Both Herodotus and Aristotle indicate that the credit for the ultimate victory was given almost entirely to Peisistratus, who served as a military commander in the army, establishing himself as one of the most popular and widely respected men in Athens (Hdt. 1.59; [Ath. Pol.] 14.1).86 It was on the back of his military success that Peisistratus twice attempted to seize tyrannical power: first, with the support of a small group of men carrying clubs who, through trickery, he persuaded the Athenians to grant him as personal guard; and then by making an alliance with Megacles, the head of the Alcmaeonid family.

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