Lycophron from Pherai

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Lycophron of Pherai ( Greek  Λυκόφρων ) was a Greek politician and statesman who lived after the end of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) until about 390 BC. Was the sole ruler ( tyrant ) of the Thessalian city ​​of Pherai .

Pherai was economically important in Thessaly because it controlled the only major port in Thessaly with the dependent city of Pagasai, from which mainly grain was exported, but also goods of all kinds were traded. With growing prosperity, a strong middle class established itself in Pherai, which also made its own political claims. In addition, there was no long-established aristocratic family in either Pherai or Pagasai, which made it easier for the new class to rise.

The sole rulers of Pherai operated in the 4th century BC. A highly expansive policy and strived for hegemony over all of Thessaly. Supported by the broad mass of traders and craftsmen, Lycophron was the first to succeed in establishing a popular tyranny in Pherai.

Under Lycophron, the Pheraians defeated the noble family of the Aleuads and the remaining Thessaly in a battle on September 4, 404 BC. Chr .: The rule of the Aleuads over Larisa (also: Larissa) was overthrown and a moderate oligarchy was established in their place , which was supposed to break the old monopoly of the nobility. Leading Aleuadae, including Aristippus and the family of in Plato's dialogue Meno said Menon of Pharsalus were driven into exile.

After their defeat, the exiled Thessalian nobles tried to get support from foreign powers. As the historian Xenophon reports, Aristippus succeeded in getting money for four thousand mercenaries from the Persian prince Cyrus and with it as early as 402/1 BC. To return to Larisa and establish an extreme oligarchy again. The persistent clashes between the Larisai and the tyrants of Pherai determined the political development of Thessaly in the period that followed.

(Direct?) Lycophron was succeeded by his son or son-in-law, Jason of Pherai .

literature

  • Hans Beck: Polis and Koinon. Studies on the history and structure of the Greek federal states in the 4th century BC Chr. (= Historia individual writings No. 114). Franz Steiner, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3515071172
  • Helmut Berve: The tyranny among the Greeks . Vol. 1. CH Beck, Munich 1967.
  • Slawomir Sprawski: Were Lycophron and Jason tyrants of Pherae? Xenophon on a history of Thessaly. In: Christopher Tulin, Vincent Azoulay: Xenophon and his world. Papers from a conference held in Liverpool in July 1999 (= Historia Einzelschriften Nr. 172). Franz Steiner, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3515083928 , pp. 437-452.
  • Henry D. Westlake: Thessaly in the fourth century BC Methuen, London 1935.

Remarks

  1. ↑ See on the following Hans Beck: Polis and Koinon. Stuttgart 1997, p. 127.
  2. ↑ See Westlake, Thessaly in the fourth century BC , London 1935, pp. 48f.
  3. ↑ On the popularity of his tyranny: Diodor , Bibliotheke , 15, 61, 2.
  4. ↑ Xenophon: The Train of the Ten Thousand ( Anabasis ) 1, 1, 10.
  5. ^ So Hans Beck: Polis and Koinon. Stuttgart 1997, p. 127.
personal data
SURNAME Lycophron from Pherai
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Sole ruler in Pherai
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH uncertain: 390 BC Chr.