From Tyranny to Democracy, 546-483 prescribed sources

8

[1] Although he was charged with the crime to do with Paros, there were other reasons for his condemnation. For the Athenians, because of the tyranny of the Peisistratids a few years before, feared the power of all their citizens. [2] Miltiades was much involved in holding power and dealing with important matters of state and did not appear to be able to remain just a private citizen, especially as it seemed he was attracted to the desire for power by force of habit. [3] He had had a permanent power in the Chersonese during the years he lived there and had been called a tyrant, but a just one. He had not obtained the tyranny by force but at the wishes of his citizens, and he retained his position of power through his good conduct. However, all are called and thought of as tyrants, who hold continual power in a state which once enjoyed freedom. [4] But in Miltiades there was the greatest kindness to others and a remarkable courtesy so that there was no one so lowly who could not openly approach him. He had great influence among all the states. He had a noble name, and the greatest praise in military matters. But the people looking at this preferred that he be punished, despite his innocence, than that they should fear him any longer.

Old Oligarch, 1.2–1.3

[2] So first I will say this, that there the poor and the people rightly have more than the aristocracy and the wealthy, because it is the people who crew the ships and give strength to the city. The helmsmen, the men who mark time for the rowers, the officers, the look-outs, the ship-builders, these are the men who give strength to the city far more than the hoplites, the aristocracy or the good. So as this is how things are, it seems that it is right that everyone has a share in the offices of state, both those chosen by lot and those elected, and anyone of the citizens who wishes to is allowed to speak. [3] Then whichever offices of state bring safety to the people if they are well handled, but danger if not, the people have no need to have a share of these offices. (They think there is no need for them to have a share by lot in the generalships or cavalry commanders.) For the people know that they gain more themselves by not holding these offices, but in allowing the most powerful men to hold them. Whatever offices are held in return for pay or benefit to their household, these the people are eager to hold.

Visual sources

Roman copy of the lost tyrannicides statue

National Archaeological Museum in Naples

Temple of Hera, Samos


Ostraka

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Roman copy of the lost tyrannicides statue: © Miguel Hermoso Cuesta - reproduced under the terms of the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Licence.

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Ostraka: © Giovanni Dall’Orto;

Ostraka: © Tilemahos Efthimiadis - reproduced under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic Licence;

Ostraka: © Marsyas - reproduced under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic Licence.

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1^ The Greek has ‘twelfth’ here, but we have gone with Rhodes’ suggested emendation to fifth (Rhodes PJ, A Commentary on the Aristotelian Athenaion Politeia, Oxford, 1993)

2^ wall supposedly built by the Pelasgians on the Acropolis of Athens

3^ Again, we have accepted Rhodes’ suggested emendation to the Greek which reads 49

4^ Again we have followed Rhodes here, who follows Kenyon’s suggestion of ‘eighth’ for ‘fifth’ in the Greek

5^ Again, we have gone with Rhodes et al. in place of the Greek text which has ‘fourth’.

6^ an Achaean colony on the foot of Italy

7^ Lipsymdrium is a fort on the spur of Mount Parnes, north of the deme Paeonidae, not Paeonia as Herodotus states

8^ this is a mistake in Nepos’ account - it should be the Aeginan War

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