This is a list of tyrants from Ancient Greece.
Abydus Daphnis, under Darius I (pro-Persian)Herodotus, Histories,4.138 Philiscus, c. 368–360 BC (assassinated) Iphiades, 360–? BCAeneas Tacticus, 28.6–7,"Ἰφιάδης εἶναι Ἀβυδηνὸς κατὰ Ἑλλήσποντον καταλαμβάνων Πάριον ἄλλα τε περὶ τὴν ἀνάβασιν νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους λάθρᾳ παρεσκευάσατο207 καὶ ἁμάξας πληρώσας φρυγάνων καὶ βάτων παρέπεμψεν πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος, ἤδη τῶν πυλῶν κεκλεισμένων, ὡς τῶν Παριανῶν οὔσας τὰς ἁμάξας, αἵτινες208 ἐλθοῦσαι πρὸς τὰς πύλας ηὐλίζοντο, ὡς φοβούμεναι πολεμίους. 7 ἃς ἔδει ἐν καιρῷ τινι ὑφαφθῆναι, ἵνα αἱ πύλαι ἐμπρησθῶσι καὶ πρὸς τὸ σβεννύειν τῶν Παριανῶν ὁρμησάντων αὐτὸς κατὰ ἄλλον τόπον εἰσέλθῃ."[English Translation: And Iphiades of Abydus on the Hellespont, in his capture of Parium, among other preparations for scaling the wall by night, secretly prepared wagons filled with brush and brambles and sent them to the wall (the gates being already closed), as though they were wagons of the Parians, which after their arrival were parked near the gates from fear of the enemy. At a suitable moment they were to set fire to the wagons, so that the gates might catch fire, and when the citizens of Parium had gone to put out the flames he himself might enter at another point.]
Agrigentum (Acragas) Phalaris, 570–554 BC (overthrown and roasted) Telemachus, after 554 BC Alcamenes, 6th/5th century BCHeraclides Lembus, Excerpta Politiarum, 69."Ἀκραγαντίνων: […] μεθ’ ὃν Ἀλκαμένης παρέλαβε τὰ πράγματα, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον Ἄλκανδρος προέστη, ἀνὴρ ἐπιεικής. καὶ εὐθένησαν οὕτως ὡς περιπόρφυρα ἔχειν ἱμάτια." (Constitution of the Acragantines. […] After him [i.e. Phalaris] Alcamenes seized the power, and after him, Alcander, a righteous man, governed. And they flourished to such an extent that they had himations fringed with purple”.) (DILTS 1971) Alcandros (Alcander), 6th/5th century BC Theron, 488–472 BC Thrasydaeus, 472 BC (expelled and executed) Phintias, Sosistratus, 279–277 BC. Later tyrant in SyracuseDiodorus Siculus 22.7.2, Polyaenus 5.37.1
Alabanda Aridolis, 480 BC Amyntas, after 480 BC
Ambracia Gorgus, son of Cypselus, Periander, until 580 BC, son of Gorgus and grandson of Periander of Corinth Archinus, 6th century BCAristotle, Constitution of Athens,17.4
Amastris Amastris, until 284 BC Eumenes, 284 (hands city over to Kingdom of Pontus)Memnon of Heraclea, Chapter 9
Argos Laphaes, 6th century BCPausanias,2.21.8 Pheidon, around 550 BC Perilaus, Archinus, c. 395 BC Aristippus the Elder, after 272 BC Aristomachos the Elder, before 250–240 BC (assassinated) Aristippus, 240–235 BC (killed in action) Aristomachus the Younger, 235–229 BC (resigned), 224–223 BC (tortured and executed)
Assos & Atarneus Eubulus, before 351 BC Hermias, 351–342 BC
Astacus Evarchus, Thucydides in Book II of his History of the Peloponnesian War
Athens Cylon, 632 BC (stoned) Pisistratus, 561 BC, 559–556 BC and 546–528 BC Hippias, 527–510 BC Theramenes, Critias, and Charicles leading members of the Thirty Tyrants 404–403 BC Lachares, 300–294 BC Aristion, 88–86 BC (executed)
Byzantium Ariston, , pro-Persian, participated in the Scythian campaign of Darius I Pausanias the Regent, c.477–476 BC Clearchus of Sparta, 411–409 BC, 404–401 BC
Cardia Hecataeus, Hecataetus entry
Camarina Psaumis of Camarina,
Cassandreia Apollodorus, 279–276 BC (executed)
Catane Euarchus, 729 BC–?, founder of Catane Deinomenes the Younger, Mamercus of Catane, 345–338 BC
Chalcis (Euboea) Tynnondas, Plutarch, Solon,14.4 Antileon, 6th century BC Mnesarchus, before 354 BC Callias, c. 354–350 BC, c. 343–330 BC Taurosthenes, c. 330 BC
Chersonese Miltiades the Elder, 555–519 BC Stesagoras, 519–516 BC (assassinated) Miltiades, 516–510 BC, 496–492 BC
Chios Strattis,
Cibyra Moagetes, Strabo,13.4
Corcyra Lycophron (?), before 587 BC Cleonymus, 303/02 BC
Corinth Cypselus, 657–627 BC Periander, 627–587 BC Psammetich (Psammetichus, named after Psamtik I), 587–584 BC Aristophanes, Politica. v. 12. 1315 b 26; Nicolaus Damascenus, fr. 60, Fragmenta historicorum Graecorum iii. 393 Timophanes, 364 BC (assassinated) Alexander, 253–247 BC Nicaea, 247–245 BC (married)
Cos Scythes, late 6th century BC Cadmus, resigned 494 BC Nicias of Cos, 1st century BC Nicippus, 1st century (with Nicias)
Croton Cleinias, Menedemus
Cumae Aristodemus,
Cyme Aristagoras,
Cyprus Nicocreon, 4th century BC
Cyrene Ophellas, 312–308 BC (assassinated) Lycopus, Nicocrates, c. 51 BC (assassinated) Leander, c. 50 BC (arrested)
Cyzicus Aristagoras,
Dardanos Mania, killed by her son-in-law
Elatea Mnason, 4th century BC
Elea Demylus, 5th century BC Nearchus,
Elis Aristotimus, 272 BC (assassinated)
Ephesus Melas the Elder, 7th century BC, brother-in-law to king Gyges Pythagoras, son of Miletus, 6th century BC Melas the Younger, son of Pythagoras, son-in-law of king Alyattes Pindarus, son of Melas, around 560 BC, overthrown by his cousin king Croesus Aristarchus, sent from Athens, , to rule instead of Melas III Pasicles, 540–530 BC, killed when returning from a feast. Aphinagorus, Comas, fl. 530 BC Athenagoras, late 6th century BC Phanes Melancomas, c. 500 BC Hegesias, before 323 BC (assassinated) Melancomas II, fl. 214 BC
Epidaurus Procles, 640 BC
Eretria Themison, Plutarch, (expelled) Hipparchus, c. 345 BC Automedon, c. 345 BC Cleitarchus, 345–341 BC (expelled)
Gela Cleander, 505–498 BC (assassinated) Hippocrates, 498–491 BC Gelon, 491–485 BC Hieron I, 485–466 BC Polyzalus,
Halicarnassus Artemisia I of Caria, Lygdamis II of Halicarnassus, fl. 469–444 BC
Heraclea Pontica Clearchus, 365–353 BC (assassinated) Satyrus, 353–? BCJustin, Epitome, 16.5 Timotheus, 352–337 BC Dionysius, 337–305 BC Amastris, 305–284 BC (drowned by her sons) Oxyathres, 305–284 BC Clearchus, 305–284 BC
Hermione Xenon, stepped down 229 BC
Himera Terillus, early 5th century BC
Keryneia Iseas, 275 BC (resigned)
Lampsacus Hippoclus, Aeantides, Astyanax, before 360 BC, assassinated
Larissa Medius,
Leontini Panaetius, BC Aenesidemus, 498–491 BC Hicetas, c. 347–338 BC Heracleides,
Lindos Cleobulus, 6th century BC
Locri Dionysius the Younger, 356–346 BC
Megalopolis Aristodemus the Good, (assassinated by the "philosopher tyrannicides" Ecdemus and Damophanes) Lydiadas, c. 245–235 BC (joined the Achaean League)
Megara Theagenes,
Messana Scythes, Cadmus, c. 494–490 BC Anaxilas, c. 490–476 BC Micythus, c. 476–467 BC (retired) Leophron, c. 467–461 BC (popular revolt) Hippon, c. 338 BC Cios the Mamertine, c. 269 BC
Messene Phyliades, before 336 BC (?) Neon, son of Phyliades (expelled in 336 after Philip II died, but restored by Alexander) after 336 BC (?) Thrasymachus, son of Phyliades (expelled in 336 after Philip II died, but restored by Alexander) after 336 BC (?)
Methymnae Aristonicus, before 332 BC (tortured and executed)
Miletus Amphitres, late 8th or 7th century BC Thrasybulus, 7th century BC Thoas, 6th century BC Damasanor, 6th century BC Histiaeus, 518–514 BC Aristagoras, (reintroduced democracy) Timarchus, 3rd century BC
Mytilene Myrsilus, late 7th century BC, (Alcaeus was against him) Pittacus, (resigned after ten years) Coes, (stoned)
Naxos Lygdamis, until Aristagoras, c. 502–499 BC
Orchomenus Aristomelidas, Archaic period (?) Nearchus, 234 BC (resigned)
Oreus Philistides, (expelled) Menippus, 341 BC (expelled)
Parium Herophantus,
Pellene Chaeron, after 336 BC
Pharsalus Sisyphus, Polydamas, until 370 BC
Pherae Lycophron Jason, before 370 BC (assassinated) Polydorus, 370 BC (assassinated) Polyphron, 370–369 BC (assassinated) Alexander, 369–358 BC (assassinated) Tisiphonus, 357–355/4 BC Lycophron II, 355–352 BC (resigned) Peitholaus, 355–352 and 349 BC (resigned, expelled)
Phlius Leo, Cleonymus, before 229 BC (resigned)
Phocaea Laodamas,
Phocis Aulis, Phayllus, fl. 352 BC
Pisa Damophon, before 7th century BC (?) Pantaleon, Damophon, fl. 588 BC Pyrrhus, 6th century BC
Priene Hieron of Priene, 300–297 BC
Proconnesus Metrodorus,
Rhegium Anaxilas, 494–476 BC Micythus, (retired) Leophron, c. 467–461 BC (popular revolt) Dionysius the Younger, before 352 BC (expelled) Calippus, 352/351 BC (assassinated) Leptines II, after 351 BC
Samos Demoteles, 7th century BCPlutarch, Greek Questions 57 Syloson, , again c. 521 BC Polycrates, c. 538-522 BC Maiandrius, c. 522 BC (reintroduced democracy) Charilaus, c. 522 BC Aeaces, c. 513 BC, reinstalled after 494 BC Theomestor, after 480 BCHerodotus 8.85, Herodotus,9.90 Kaios (father of Duris), after 322 BC Duris, c. 300–280 BC
Selinus Theron, 6th/5th century BC Pythagoras, 6th/5th century BC Euryleon of Sparta, 6th/5th century BC (killed)
Sicyon Orthagoras, from 676 BC Myron the Elder, , former Olympian winning in chariot racePausanias,6.19.1 Aristonymus, father of Cleisthenes IsodemusFrontinus’ “Strategemata”. Cleisthenes, 600–560 BC Aeschines, 560–556 BC removed by the Spartans Euphron, 368–366 BC (assassinated) Aristratus, fl. Epichares (?), fl. c. 330 BC Cratesipolis, 314–308 BC (bribed) Cleon, c. 300–280 BC (assassinated) Euthydemus, c. 280–270 BC (expelled) Timocleidas, c. 280–270 BC (expelled) Abantidas, 264–252 BC (assassinated) Paseas, 252–251 BC (assassinated) Nicocles, 251 BC (expelled by Aratus of Sicyon)
Sigeum Hegesistratus, Herodotus,5.94
Sinope Timesilaus, before 433 BCPlutarch, Pericles, 20 Scydrothemis, 301–280 BC
Sparta Machanidas, 210–207 BC (killed in action) Nabis, 207–192 BC (assassinated by allies) Chaeron, 180 BC
Sybaris Telys,
Syracuse Gelon, 491–478 BC Hieron I, 478–466 BC Thrasybulus, 466–465 BC (expelled, democracy restored) Dionysius the Elder, 405–367 BC Dionysius II, the Younger, 367–357 BC Apollocrates, 357 BC Heracleides, 357 BC Dion, 357–354 BC Calippus, 354–352 BC Hipparinus, 352–351 BC Dionysius II, the Younger, (restored, 346–344 BC) Timoleon, 345–337 BC Agathocles, 320 BC (banished) Acestorides, 320–319 BC Agathocles, 317–289 BC Hicetas, 289–279 BC Thoenon, 279 BC, See Siege of Syracuse (278 BC) Sosistratus, 279–277 BC Hieron II, 275–215 BC Gelon II, c. 240–216 BC Hieronymus, 215–214 BC Adranodoros, 214-212 BC Hippocrates, 213–212 BC Epicydes, 213–212 BC
Tarentum Aristophilides, 6th/5th century BC
Tarsus Lysias, before 67 BCDeipnosophistae, book 5,215
Tauromenium Andromachus, Tyndarion, fl. 278 BC
Thasos Symmachus, Polyaenus: Stratagems, Book 2,1.27
Thebes Leontiades, 382–379 BC (killed) Archias, 382–379 BC (killed)Plutarch, Pelopidas, 5. Philippus, 382–379 BC (killed) Hypates, 382–379 BC (killed)
Zeleia Nicagoras, 334 BC (conquered by Alexander the Great)
References