Critias facts for kids

Critias (born around 460 BC, died 403 BC) was an important figure in ancient Athens. He was a student of the famous philosopher Socrates and a writer. Critias is best known for leading a group called the Thirty Tyrants, who ruled Athens for a short time after a big war.

A Young Athenian Writer

Not much is known about Critias's early life. He was a talented writer and created different types of works. He wrote poems, including long epic poems and shorter, thoughtful poems. He also wrote plays, like Sisyphus.

Critias also wrote books in prose, which is like regular writing, not poetry. Some of his important works were about how different city-states were governed, like Athens and Sparta. He also wrote about ideas like "desires" and "virtues."

Critias seemed to stay out of the main political spotlight for a while, focusing more on his studies and writing.

Learning from Socrates

The philosopher Socrates was very popular with young, smart people in Athens. He liked to ask tough questions about what people believed was right and wrong. Critias was one of these young men who was drawn to Socrates. They became friends for many years.

Later, another famous philosopher named Plato wrote dialogues, which are like conversations, where Socrates was the main character. Critias appeared in two of these dialogues, showing his connection to Socrates.

Political Changes in Athens

Athens went through a very difficult time after a major defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 413 BC. This made the city's government unstable. In 411 BC, a group of people who wanted a different kind of government tried to take control. They convinced the Athenian assembly to create a new council called the Four Hundred. This group ruled for a few months before democracy was brought back.

Some people think Critias might have been part of the Four Hundred, but there isn't much proof. After this group was removed, Critias actually proposed some new laws, which suggests he wasn't seen as a strong supporter of that group.

Time in Exile

Later, Critias was sent away from Athens, a punishment called "exile." This happened because he supported his friend Alcibiades, a famous Athenian general who was also exiled. Critias spent a few years living in a place called Thessaly.

While in Thessaly, ancient writers had different ideas about what Critias was doing. Some said he was trying to help set up a democracy, giving power to ordinary people. Others said he was talking with powerful leaders and criticizing democracy.

The Thirty Tyrants

After Athens lost the Peloponnesian War in 405 BC, the winning side, Sparta, made some tough demands. They told Athens to tear down its city walls and change its government. Sparta suggested that Athens be ruled by a group of thirty governors.

Critias had returned to Athens from his exile and became one of the main leaders of this new ruling group, known as the "Thirty." This group wanted to get rid of Athens's democracy. They also appointed five supervisors, and Critias was one of them. They created a special group of three thousand citizens who were allowed to keep their weapons, while others were disarmed.

During their rule, the Thirty Tyrants arrested many Athenian citizens and took their property. Critias was known for pushing for even harsher actions. He even had a "moderate" leader within the Thirty, named Theramenes, arrested and executed because Theramenes disagreed with the extreme violence.

Critias's friendship with Socrates also changed during this time. At one point, the Thirty ordered Socrates and others to arrest a man, but Socrates refused and went home. Socrates also openly criticized Critias for some of his actions.

The Fall of the Thirty

Many Athenians had left the city because of the harsh rule of the Thirty. In the spring of 403 BC, these Athenians returned under the leadership of Thrasyboulus. They took control of a fortress in Peiraieus, which was Athens's port city.

When the Thirty Tyrants brought their forces to fight them, a battle broke out in the streets. During this fight, Critias was killed. His death weakened the Thirty Tyrants, and their rule soon ended. Democracy was brought back to Athens.

Critias's Legacy

After his death, Critias was often criticized for his actions as a leader of the Thirty Tyrants. Writers like Xenophon spoke negatively about him. However, Plato did not directly say bad things about Critias in his writings.

Even though he was criticized by his contemporaries, Critias was mostly forgotten by later generations. His writings as a poet and essayist survived for a while, but his reputation as a writer also faded over time. Today, only small pieces of his works remain.

See also

• List of speakers in Plato's dialogues