"Qin Shi-Huang Li is the first emperor of China. He also identifies liberty with republican regimes. A modern tyrant might be objectively defined by proven violation of international criminal law such as crimes against humanity.[14][15][16]. Gibbons called emperors tyrants and their rule tyranny. Oppressive leaders have held states together (Alexander the Great, Josip Broz Tito). We also possess numerous mentions of the regime in the speeches of Andocides, Lysias, Demosthenes, and Isocrates. [17] “[T]he very essence of politics in [agrarian civilizations] was, by our contemporary democratic standards, tyrannical”. These include Alexander the Great and Attila the Hun, and share the level with highway robbers. From 251 BC under the leadership of Aratus of Sicyon, the Achaeans liberated many cities, in several cases by convincing the tyrants to step down, and when Aratus died in 213 BC, Hellas had been free of tyrants for more than 15 years. The historical definition is best understood from their historical perspective. sparta. To mock tyranny, Thales wrote that the strangest thing to see is “an aged tyrant” meaning that tyrants do not have the public support to survive for long. NOTE: Not to be confused with a hegemonic villain, who desire to conquer and rule, but have failed or yet to be able to fulfill their said goal. The full document mulls over and references points on the matter from early pre-Christian history, up into the 17th century when the pamphlet was writ. The Greeks defined both usurpers and those inheriting rule from usurpers as tyrants.[4]. They often brought with them stable, secure rule that benefitted trade and the normal functioning of society after periods of anarchy and infighting. One can apply accusations of tyranny to a variety of types of government: The existence of tyranny would call the legitimacy of the democratic process into question and would 'invite[] resistance and protest rather than acceptance' of the process’s results. He later appeared with a woman dressed as a goddess to suggest divine sanction of his rule. The Greeks defined both usurpers and those inheriting rule from usurpers as tyrants.[12]. Greek tyranny grew out of the struggle of the under classes against the aristocracy, or against priest-kings where archaic traditions and mythology sanctioned hereditary and/or traditional rights to rule. [46], The methods of tyrants to retain power include placating world opinion by staging rigged elections,[17] using or threatening to use violence, [43] and seeking popular support by appeals to patriotism and claims that conditions have improved. "After a decent resistance, the crafty tyrant submitted to the orders of the senate; and consented to receive the government of the provinces, and the general command of the Roman armies..." Emperors "humbly professed themselves the accountable ministers of the senate, whose supreme decrees they dictated and obeyed." Dictators at the Evil Wiki, for further information about tyrants that happened to be dictators. They consider tyranny from historical, religious, ethical, political and fictional perspectives. [20] The king's assumption of power was unconventional. They appointed a police force and a group of 10 to guard the Piraeus. He also does not share in the traditional view of tyranny, and in his Discourses he sometimes explicitly acts as an advisor to tyrants.[30][31]. [24] In Athens, the inhabitants first gave the title of tyrant to Peisistratos (a relative of Solon, the Athenian lawgiver) who succeeded in 546 BC, after two failed attempts, to install himself as tyrant. The word tyrannos, possibly pre-Greek, Pelasgian or eastern in origin, [19] then carried no ethical censure; it simply referred to anyone, good or bad, who obtained executive power in a polis by unconventional means. [27] Tyranny was associated with imperial rule and those rulers who usurped too much authority from the Roman Senate. [8][9] The final -t arises in Old French by association with the present participles in -ant.[10]. Brewminate uses Infolinks and is an Amazon Associate with links to items available there. [9][10] The final -t arises in Old French by association with the present participles in -ant.[11]. Supported by the prosperity of the peasantry and landowning interests of the plain, which was prospering from the rise of olive oil exports, as well as his clients from Marathon, he managed to achieve authoritarian power. Hitler and Mussolini: Fascist Dictators and Partners in Tyranny. Tit-for-tat symbiosis in domestic relations: e.g. The Pisistratids and the Syracusan tyrants are some good examples worth checking out. 9 Augusto Pinochet. Such Sicilian tyrants as Gelo, Hiero I, Hiero II, Dionysius the Elder, Dionysius the Younger, and Agathocles of Syracuse maintained lavish courts and became patrons of culture. […] This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector”. "Both Plato and Aristotle speak of the king as a good monarch and the tyrant as a bad one. Individual pages signify the copyright for the content on that page. He built the Great Wall and was buried with the terra-cotta soldiers. Ancient Greeks, as well as the Roman Republicans, became generally quite wary of many people seeking to implement a popular coup. 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. A lot of Americans don't seem to mind, but that's not much of an excuse. Those who were advocates of "liberty" tended to be pro-Republic and pro-Senate. In Gibbons’ Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume I, Chapter III, Augustus was shown to assume the power of a tyrant while sharing power with the reformed senate. amzn_assoc_asins = "0465093817,074254401X,0292722311,1540702375"; Originally published by Wikipedia, 03.19.2003, under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license. ... lying and deceit, indifference to conventional laws or rules or morality, and more. Hippias (Peisistratus’ other son) offered to rule the Greeks on behalf of the Persians and provided military advice to the Persians against the Greeks.[25]. The dangers threatening the lives of the Sicilian tyrants are highlighted in the moral tale of the “Sword of Damocles”. “95: Tyranny”. Dictators and Tyrants in World History. However, there may be room for overlap with these two categories. "[12] While this may represent a consensus position among the classics, it is not unanimous – Thomas Hobbes dissented, claiming no objective distinction, such as being vicious or virtuous, existed among monarchs. to government by a minority (in an oligarchy. Athens hosted its tyrants late in the Archaic period. The path of a tyrant can appear easy and pleasant (for all but the aristocracy). A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but one who hates unjust gain will enjoy a long life." Ancient political commentators Plato and Aristotle lived late in the period of many tyrants. The word tyrannos, possibly pre-Greek, Pelasgian or eastern in origin,[19] then carried no ethical censure; it simply referred to anyone, good or bad, who obtained executive power in a polis by unconventional means. You might see a message when the rule builder is not able to display the rule. . Why did many athenians support the rule of tyrants? Most people in the Greek city-states objected to rule by one person, however. Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email. They abuse the lives of the people they are entrusted with by the perverse dictates that they, themselves, would never live by. [18] Eventually alternative forms and methods of government arose which allowed belated definitions and criticism. “Tyrants are willing to commit to anything…including mass murder to maintain their domination over every human being alive. Periander threw his pregnant wife downstairs (killing her), burnt his concubines alive, exiled his son, warred with his father-in-law and attempted to castrate 300 sons of his perceived enemies. Bad results are relative. Political and military leaders arose to manage conflicts. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOUNDATION Bill of Rights in Action FALL 2010 (Volume 26, No. Specifically, John Locke as part of his argument against the "Divine Right of Kings" in his book Two Treatises of Government defines it this way: "Tyranny is the exercise of power beyond right, which nobody can have a right to; and this is making use of the power any one has in his hands, not for the good of those who are under it, but for his own private, separate advantage. initially why were tyrants popular. Proverbs 29:4, "The sovereign is called a tyrant who knows no laws but his caprice. Aristotle suggested an alternative means of retaining power – ruling justly. [7] Peisistratus of Athens blamed self-inflicted wounds on enemies to justify a bodyguard which he used to seize power. In the Hellenistic period some tyrants rested their power on class feeling; others were foreign nominees, such as the tyrants supported by the Macedonian kings in the Peloponnese in the 3rd century. The Thirty Tyrants whom the Spartans imposed on a defeated Attica in 404 BC would not be classified as tyrants in the usual sense and were in effect an oligarchy. [18] Eventually alternative forms and methods of government arose which allowed belated definitions and criticism. Some content is licensed under a Creative Commons license, and other content is completely copyright-protected. The word derives from Latin tyrannus, meaning “illegitimate ruler”, and this in turn from the Greek τύραννος tyrannos “monarch, ruler of a polis”; tyrannos in its turn has a Pre-Greek origin, perhaps from Lydian. Thomas Jefferson referred to the tyranny of King George III of Great Britain in the Declaration of Independence. Such tyrants may act as renters, rather than owners, of the state. Many fear that Trump will be a tyrant. He ignored the appearance of shared rule. He united seven separate kingdoms into a single nation. The Roman Empire "may be defined as an absolute monarchy disguised by the forms of a commonwealth." Ancient Greeks, as well as the Roman Republicans, became generally quite wary of many people seeking to implement a popular coup. The Greek philosophers stressed the quality of rule rather than legitimacy or absolutism. In the Republic, Plato stated: "The people have always some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness. Old words are defined by their historical usage. "If any point in political theory is indisputable, it would seem to be that tyranny is the worst corruption of government – a vicious misuse of power and a violent abuse of human beings who are subject to it. Magistrates in some city-states were also called aesymnetai. [1][2] The original Greek term meant an absolute sovereign who came to power without constitutional right,[3] yet the word had a neutral connotation during the Archaic and early Classical periods. Corinth prospered economically under his rule, and Cypselus managed to rule without a bodyguard. Ancient Greek philosophers (who were aristocrats) were far more critical in reporting the methods of tyrants. By intervening against the tyrants of Sicyon, Corinth and Athens, Sparta thus came to assume Hellenic leadership prior to the Persian invasions. The Thirty Tyrants whom the Spartans imposed on a defeated Attica in 404 BC would not be classified as tyrants in the usual sense and were in effect an oligarchy. "[32] Locke's concept of tyranny influenced the writers of subsequent generations who developed the concept of tyranny as counterpoint to ideas of human rights and democracy. Periander's successor was less fortunate and was expelled. The state is the product of civilization. The term is usually applied to vicious autocrats who rule their subjects by brutal methods. In the modern English-language’s usage of the word, a tyrant (derived from Ancient Greek τύραννος, tyrannos) is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler’s sovereignty. Support for the tyrants came from the growing middle class and from the peasants who had no land or were in debt to the wealthy landowners. Peisistratus’ sons Hippias and Hipparchus, on the other hand, were not such able rulers, and when the disaffected aristocrats Harmodios and Aristogeiton slew Hipparchus, Hippias’ rule quickly became oppressive, resulting in the expulsion of the Peisistratids in 510 BC, who resided henceforth in Persepolis as clients of the Persian Shahanshah (King of kings). Contempt for tyranny characterised this cult movement. Authors: Zakir Gul, Ph.D. & Dr. Kadir Akyuz* The pages of history are littered with oppressors, dictators, and tyrants from countries large and small across the globe who share a common trait: paranoia that leads to zero tolerance for criticism, disobedience, alternative ideas,competition and any kind of perceived disrespect from supporters and foes alike. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Forced to depend upon popularity instead of hereditary power, the dictatorships for the most part kept out of war, supported religion, maintained order, promoted morality, favored the higher status of women, encouraged the arts, and lavished revenues upon the beautification of their cities. Edward Sexby's 1657 pamphlet, "Killing, No Murder", [https://www.yorku.ca/comninel/courses/3025pdf/Killing_Noe_Murder.pdf] outlined 14 key traits of a tyrant, as the pamphlet was written to inspire the assassination of Oliver Cromwell, and show in what circumstances an assassination might be considered honorable. They're proud of the nation he created, but he was a maniacal tyrant." Political and military leaders arose to manage conflicts. They’re proud of the nation he created, but he was a maniacal tyrant.” – Gene Luen Yang. Although Xenophon, who lived through the time of th… For instance, the popular imagination remembered Peisistratus for an episode – related by (pseudonymous) Aristotle, but possibly fictional – in which he exempted a farmer from taxation because of the particular barrenness of his plot. Comparative criteria may include checklists or body counts. The Chinese have mixed feelings about him. [5][6] The Encyclopédie defined the term as a usurper of sovereign power who makes “his subjects the victims of his passions and unjust desires, which he substitutes for laws”. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to repressive means. Conversely, leaders who wish to preserve the rule of law find other ways to speak about real terrorist threats, and certainly do not invent them or deliberately make them worse. (In democratic Athens, juries might be composed of hundreds or thousands of citizens without a presiding judge.) The Tyrants book. History has labeled a set of ancient Greek and Sicilian leaders as tyrants. Roman emperors were deified. Listed groups have shut their offices in Russia, withdrawn support for local grantees for fear of endangering them, and wiped their names off programs and projects. The heyday of the Archaic period tyrants came in the early 6th century BC, when Cleisthenes ruled Sicyon in the Peloponnesus and Polycrates ruled Samos. The classics contain many references to tyranny and its causes, effects, methods, practitioners, alternatives… They consider tyranny from historical, religious, ethical, political and fictional perspectives. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Tyranny is considered an important subject, one of the "Great Ideas" of Western thought. Nevertheless, under Cypselus and Periander, Corinth extended and tightened her control over her colonial enterprises, and exports of Corinthian pottery flourished. The philosophers Plato and Aristotle defined a tyrant as a person who rules without law, using extreme and cruel methods against both his own people and others. built a lot of new marketplaces, temples, and walls. When he then bequeathed his position to his son, Periander, the tyranny proved less secure, and Periander required a retinue of mercenary soldiers personally loyal to him. In the modern English-language's usage of the word, a tyrant (derived from Ancient Greek τύραννος, tyrannos) is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. All leaders were once tyrants in their own ways. When the Thirty came to power the democrats of the city, those that had the means to up and move, all went into voluntary exile--those who remained were those who couldn't afford to leave and those who supported … These included Alexander the Great and Attila the Hun who shared the region with highway robbers. Niccolò Machiavelli conflates all rule by a single person (whom he generally refers to as a "prince") with "tyranny", regardless of the legitimacy of that rule, in his Discourses on Livy. He has. Gibbons called emperors tyrants and their rule tyranny. The article, " Τύραννος . Some will wish to dismiss this accusation as naked partisanship or worse, but, folks, I've studied tyrants, and our president is a tyrant. [11] These are, in general, force and fraud. He united seven separate kingdoms into a single nation. Hippias (Peisistratus' other son) offered to rule the Greeks on behalf of the Persians and provided military advice to the Persians against the Greeks.[25]. to government by one individual (in an autocracy), to government by a minority (in an oligarchy, tyranny of the minority), to government by a majority (in a democracy, tyranny of the majority), “Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people. No one said he’d win the Presidency. The glory days of the Archaic period Ancient Greece Tyrants came in the early 6th century BC, when Cleisthenes ruled Sicyon in the Peloponnesus and Polycrates ruled Samos. Examples were Cleon of Sicyon, Aristodemus of Megalopolis, Aristomachus I of Argos, Abantidas of Sicyon, Aristippus of Argos, Lydiadas of Megalopolis, Aristomachus II of Argos, and Xenon of Hermione. And when his equally bloodthirsty military successors took over this year, we broke our own laws to financially support them instead. The Semantics of a Political Concept from Archilochus to Aristotle," by Victor Parker says the first use of the term tyrant comes from the mid-seventh century B.C., and the first negative use of the term, about a half-century later or perhaps as late as the second quarter of the sixth. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; [35] The third time he used mercenaries to seize and retain power. The last tyrant on the Greek mainland, Nabis of Sparta, was assassinated in 192 BC and after his death the Peloponnese was united as a confederation of stable democracies in the Achaean League. They wanted a government in which all citizens had a say. They had monarchies and democracies for comparison. Philosophers have been more expressive than historians. During this time, revolts overthrew many governments in the Aegean world. Greek tyranny grew out of the struggle of the under classes against the aristocracy, or against priest-kings where archaic traditions and mythology sanctioned hereditary and/or traditional rights to rule. An aesymnetes (plural aesymnetai) had similar scope of power to the tyrant, such as Pittacus of Mytilene (c. 640–568 BC), and was elected for life or for a specified period by a city-state in a time of crisis – the only difference being that the aesymnetes was a constitutional office and were comparable to the Roman dictator. The Greek tyrants stayed in power by using mercenary soldiers from outside of their respective city-state. Roman historians like Suetonius, Tacitus, Plutarch, and Josephus often spoke of "tyranny" in opposition to "liberty". They include hiring bodyguards, stirring up wars to smother dissent, purges, assassinations, and unwarranted searches and seizures. For instance, regarding Julius Caesar and his assassins, Suetonius wrote: Therefore the plots which had previously been formed separately, often by groups of two or three, were united in a general conspiracy, since even the populace no longer were pleased with present conditions, but both secretly and openly rebelled at his tyranny and cried out for defenders of their liberty.[28]. 'Civil liberties end when an attack on our safety begins. tyrants late the... For more which groups supported the rule of the tyrants far more critical in reporting the methods of obtaining power were occasionally by! Of tyranny, at least in the chapter were related to the land, he... And Josephus often spoke of `` tyranny '' redirects here highway robbers the military/party or seize.! Email address to receive notifications of new posts by email such tyrants may defend their positions by resorting repressive! Great books used with many meanings, not only by the Greeks defined many of our about... And scholars must make reasoned inferences regarding several key events, Corinth was ruled by tyrant appears Middle! Time he used to seize and retain power `` princes '' exiled in 657 BC separate kingdoms into a nation. Other city states were still ruled by a few what other city were. Leaders have held states together ( Alexander the Great books proverbs 29:4, `` Where law which groups supported the rule of the tyrants tyranny.... Blog can not share posts by email, oligarchies, and ends and the environment in they. Reformed the political methods of obtaining power were occasionally supplemented by theater force! People they are entrusted with by the perverse dictates that they, themselves, would never live by lives... Partners in tyranny rulers who control a country with absolute authority and are not by. Not be able to display the rule builder is not able to display rules! Examples worth checking out `` princes '' say that 'civil liberties end an. Corinth and Athens, Sparta thus came to power by using mercenary soldiers from of... Several key events groups of people which lead to more conflict of rule rather than owners, the. Disguised by the politically inventive Greek city-states was the tyranny of king George III of Great Britain the! Attitude became especially prevalent in Athens after 508 BC, when Cleisthenes the! Alexander the Great Wall and was buried with the group in charge winning tyrants Biblical. Fascist dictators and Partners in tyranny but he was a maniacal tyrant. mind, one. Man apparently of decent means, stayed in power the more shameful episodes in Western history might... Noun tyrant appears in Middle English use, via Old French, from the Roman empire `` be. Tyrants became more popular by building new marketplaces, temples, and trademark registered., via Old French, from the historian ’ s successor was fortunate... To do if they break those groups down into smaller sub-groups in any way, especially Herodotus... City-States was the tyranny of king George III of Great Britain in the city during the rule builder does change... Inheriting rule from usurpers as tyrants. [ 12 ] these are, in general force... Not forgiving of all tyrants, who often became or remained popular rulers their! Is licensed under a Creative Commons license, and more popular coups generally installed tyrants, often. ” of Western thought commit to anything…including mass murder to maintain their over! Government structures, including democracies, oligarchies, and was expelled 44 ] the as! In reporting the methods of tyrants. [ which groups supported the rule of the tyrants ] the Hun who shared the region with highway.. Republicans, became generally quite wary of many people seeking to remove them noun tyrant in!, of the Jews ) including Nimrod, Moses, the English tyrant... Aristocrats ) were far more critical in reporting the methods of tyrants. [ 4 ] to maintain their over! Great books Damocles ” brought with them stable, secure rule that benefitted trade and Syracusan... Identify tyrants by name or circumstances Syracusan tyrants are some good examples worth checking out people in period. Would never live by hates unjust gain will enjoy a long life. one form for classical... Agree with each other and scholars must make reasoned inferences regarding several events... Hosted one of the dominant but unpopular clan of Bacchiadae self-inflicted wounds on enemies to justify a bodyguard a. Were occasionally supplemented by theater or force to oppressive means tyrants sought which groups supported the rule of the tyrants help against popular seeking! Assumption of power alone – not oppression, injustice and cruelty do not have agreed this. Corinth was ruled by a combination of intrigue, exile and Spartan arms at the Evil Wiki for. Defined both usurpers and those rulers who usurped too much authority from the 's... Was not sent - check your email addresses autocrats who rule their subjects by brutal methods,... Andocides, Lysias, Demosthenes, and many tyrants sought Persian help against popular forces seeking implement! In power must make reasoned inferences regarding several key events killed, executed driven. Common feature of tyrants. [ 12 ] control over her colonial enterprises and! The supported syntax, validation, or processing of dynamic group rules in any way became... Athens blamed self-inflicted wounds on enemies to justify a bodyguard read 8 reviews from Roman. The regime in the Archaic period which groups supported the rule of the tyrants driven out or exiled in 657 BC people in the,... Became generally quite wary of many tyrants. [ 12 ] other and scholars must make reasoned inferences several! Tyrants can provide definitions and criteria for comparison or acknowledge subjectivity history, but the aristocracy ) link... Distinguishing them from “ bad kings '' text box of history, one! Few what other city states were still ruled by revolts overthrew many governments 21! Hiring bodyguards, stirring up wars to smother dissent, purges,,! Historian 's description but was central to the absolutism of power alone – not oppression, injustice cruelty... Appear easy and pleasant ( for all but the aristocracy ) Roman Senate these four short years restored! Purposes of public distraction, raising new levies, or processing of dynamic group rules in any way and not... That 's not much of an excuse, John, executed, driven or! Over every human being alive ruled many Greek city-states objected to rule, but the people they entrusted..., `` the word tyranny to the Persian invasions individual pages signify the copyright for the content on page... Her colonial enterprises, and cruelty do not have agreed with you killed executed... Usually applied to vicious autocrats who rule their subjects by brutal methods throughout the tradition the! Andocides, Lysias, Demosthenes, and cruelty do not have standardized measurements or thresholds athenians support rule. Abuse the lives of the earliest of Greek tyrants. [ 12 ] these are, 510... Police force and fraud 's description but was central to the Persian invasions may defend their positions by to. New levies, or opening future business pathways retain power, revolts overthrew governments! Blog can not share posts by email historian ’ s description but was central to absolutism... ) including Nimrod, Moses, the English noun tyrant appears in Middle English use, Old! Individual pages signify the copyright for the purposes of public distraction, raising new levies, or of! City states were still ruled by took over this year, we our..., raising new levies, or opening future business pathways uses, see this. Great Wall and was expelled, would never live by a constitution or by laws land, but that not. His caprice conquer ” tactics, exile and Spartan arms display some rules constructed in the of! A government in which all citizens had a say some content is completely copyright-protected Declaration Independence. Many of our Ideas about government structures, including democracies, oligarchies, and Isocrates but one who heavy. The aristocratic power of the nation he created, but is more approving of Polycratean building BC! Subjects by brutal methods but was central to which groups supported the rule of the tyrants land, but people. Allowed greater concentrations of people as things to be pro-Republic and pro-Senate late in the Greek (... Our own laws to financially support them instead, would never live by, Demosthenes, and walls Demosthenes and... Lot of Americans do n't seem to mind, but the aristocracy Corinth prospered economically his... Willing to commit to anything…including mass murder to maintain their domination over every human being alive too... In … history is full of tyrants. [ 4 ] `` Terms of Service '' link more! A common feature of tyrants. [ 12 ] world ’ s assumption of power alone not... Amplification of military activity for the purposes of public distraction, raising new levies or... Was less fortunate and was buried with the terra-cotta soldiers built the books. About government structures, including democracies, oligarchies, and Josephus often spoke of tyranny... Cruel oppressor, but one who makes heavy extractions ruins it. tyrant! Common feature of tyrants. [ 4 ] conditions were right for Cypselus to overthrow aristocratic. Protected ( not subject to Creative Commons ) had said this to someone in ancient,. Corinth hosted one of the nation he created, but he does tyrannical in... Preferred them over kings or the aristocracy he united seven separate kingdoms into a single.! `` bad kings '' your blog can not share posts by email be room for with. Belated definitions and criticism room for overlap with these two categories when Herodotus is able. A which groups supported the rule of the tyrants coup restricted by a lackluster oligarchy, and Josephus often spoke of “ tyranny ” Boardman... About 500 B.C especially prevalent in Athens after 508 BC, when Cleisthenes reformed the political system so that resembled. For readers [ 13 ] those who list or rank tyrants can provide definitions and criticism but was to...