Cylon of Athens facts for kids
Cylon (also spelled Kylon) was a famous person from Athens in Ancient Greece, during a time called the Archaic period. He is mostly remembered for an event known as the Cylonian Affair. This was when he tried to take control of the city. Cylon was a noble, which meant he came from an important family. He had also won the Olympic Games in 640 B.C. Around 636 B.C. or 632 B.C., Cylon tried to take over Athens. He had help from the city of Megara, where his father-in-law, Theagenes, was a tyrant (a ruler who took power by force).
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Cylon's Attempted Takeover
Historians like Herodotus and Thucydides wrote about Cylon. They both mentioned that he was an Olympic winner. According to Thucydides, an oracle (a person who gives advice from the gods) at Delphi told Cylon to take over Athens during a festival for Zeus. Cylon thought this meant the Olympics.
However, the people of Athens did not support Cylon's plan. Cylon and his followers had to hide in the temple of Athena on the Acropolis. Many of them became very hungry and thirsty. Cylon and his brother managed to escape. But his followers were trapped by Athens' nine archons, who were the city's leaders.
According to some stories, the archons promised Cylon's followers that they would not be harmed if they left the temple. To try and stay safe, the followers tied a rope to a statue of Athena and started to leave. But the rope broke! The archons, led by a man named Megacles, took this as a sign that the goddess Athena did not protect them. So, they killed Cylon's followers. Other historians say they were simply killed after being promised safety.
Changes in Athenian Government
In ancient Athens, the government was mostly run by powerful families called elites. They had been in charge for a very long time. There were not many written laws to limit their power. The nine archons were from these elite families and held power for centuries.
However, in other Greek cities, like Megara, new types of rulers called tyrants were taking over. These tyrants often took advantage of problems in the government to seize power. Cylon, being an important noble and knowing about tyrants from his father-in-law in Megara, thought he could do the same in Athens.
Even though Cylon's plan failed, his attempt showed that Athens needed changes. Just twenty years later, in 621 B.C.E., a man named Draco created the first written laws for Athens. These laws included rules about serious crimes like murder.
Later, in the 550s B.C.E., Athens got its first tyrant, Pisistratus. He ruled until he died in 527 B.C.E. His son, Hippias, then ruled until 510 B.C.E. The time of tyrants in Athens ended when Hippias lost power. Two years later, Cleisthenes helped create Athenian democracy, where citizens had more say in how the city was run.
The Cylonian Curse
Because Megacles and his family, the Alcmaeonidae, had killed Cylon's followers who were seeking protection in the temple, they were sent away from Athens. This act was seen as a terrible crime against the goddess Athena. According to Herodotus, the Alcmaeonidae family was cursed with a "stain" or "pollution" that was passed down through generations.
This "Cylonian curse" was later used by other cities, like Sparta, as a political tool. They would try to get rid of families in Athens who were against them, by saying these families were still affected by the curse. For example, Cleisthenes, who helped create democracy, was from one of these families.
Historians have discussed why the stories about Cylon are different in Herodotus and Thucydides. Some believe Thucydides might have been trying to defend the Alcmaeonid family. He didn't directly name them as the ones responsible for the curse, only mentioning the nine archons and the "family" in charge. This suggests that the curse was sometimes used against specific families for political reasons.
Discoveries from the Past
In April 2016, something amazing was found near Athens in a place called Palaio Faliro. Two large graves were discovered with 80 bodies inside. Thirty-six of these skeletons had iron chains on them. Experts believe these graves are from around the same time as Cylon's attempted takeover, in the late 600s B.C.
Some researchers, like bioarcheologist Kristina Killgrove, have suggested that these could be the bodies of Cylon's supporters who were killed after his failed attempt to take power. While it's not absolutely certain, it's a very interesting idea that helps us imagine what happened long ago.
