Orthagoras
Orthagoras was a tyrant in the Greek polis of Sikyon in the mid 7th century BC. He founded the tyranny of the Orthagorids, which after Aristotle represented the longest reign of tyranny in Greece (supposedly 100 years).
Orthagoras came from an aristocratic family from Sikyon and gained fame and reputation among his peers in the war against the neighboring town of Pellene . His high social prestige and a large, probably mainly aristocratic following made it possible for him to assert himself in the aristocratic competition for influence and power in the polis and to establish his tyranny. The idea, represented in the ancient literary sources - especially by Aristotle - that Orthagoras seized power as a demagogue through "people-friendly" measures and as the leader of the poor and socially disadvantaged sections of the population is anachronistic and corresponds to the image of tyranny of the 4th century BC. Chr.
literature
- Helmut Berve : The tyranny among the Greeks , 2 volumes, Munich 1967
- Loretana de Libero : The Archaic Tyrannis , Stuttgart 1996
Footnotes
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Orthagoras |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Tyrant in the Peloponnesian polis of Sicyon |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 8th century BC BC or 7th century BC Chr. |
| DATE OF DEATH | 7th century BC BC or 6th century BC Chr. |