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Polykrates: The Use Of Tyranny In Archaic Greece

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The Oxford English Dictionary defines tyranny as, “cruel and oppressive government or rule.” In Archaic Greece, however, tyranny held a different meaning, i.e. rule by an absolute leader. A prominent Classicist Antony Andrewes elaborated on the characteristics of tyrannies and set up some ground requirements for a regime to be labelled a tyrannical one: existing aristocracy, rise of an outsider to power, reliance on physical force and so forth. Polykrates is the absolute head of Samos, he came to power after an insurrection, he waged wars with many Greek city states and enforced an oppressive regime. However, Polykrates also developed infrastructure, promoted the arts and established friendly relationship with some Greek city states and fought …show more content…

Polykrates killed one of his brothers and banished the other one to keep the throne to himself. He also embarked on a colonizing mission subsequently, and captured “a great number of the islands and many towns on the mainland as well, and among his conquests were the people of Lesbos, whom he vanquished with his fleet when they had gone out in full force to help the Milesians” (Hdt.. P. 225). Polykrates’ fame and power grew after he was victorious on all of his endeavors. A tyrant’s regimes thrives under fear generated by the use of physical force. In Polykrates’ case, his good fortune heavily influenced the outcomes of his colonizing campaigns. By winning these campaign by exercising immense physical force of his army, penteconters and mercenaries, Polykrates established his …show more content…

Andrewes mentions “connections with other tyrants” as one of his characteristics of tyranny and in Herodotus we can find several evidences to support this claim. Polykrates is friends with Amasis, the king of Egypt and with Cambyses of Cyrus. Cambyses was already waging war with Egypt when Amasis and Polykrates were friends (Hdt. P. 224). After Amasis and Polykrates cease being friends, Polykrates supports Cambyses’ mission against Egypt. Cambyses, in return helps Polykrates by sending troops to fight against the Samian exiles. Hence, once the relationship between Amasis and Polykrates turns sour, it is natural for Polykrates to help Cambyses’ mission against Egypt in retribution. Herodotus’ accounts of Polykrates’ friendship with other tyrants is credible because tyrants come into power through force and it would be sensible for tyrants to establish friendly relationship with other tyrants and kings for help during political uprising and colonizing

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