Thirty Tyrants facts for kids

The Thirty Tyrants (pronounced: try-ants) was a small group of leaders who briefly ruled Athens from 405 BC to 404 BC. They were put in charge by the Spartans after Athens lost the Peloponnesian War, a big war between Athens and Sparta. This group became known for being very harsh and unfair. They were first called "The Thirty Tyrants" by a writer named Polycrates. Even though they only ruled for eight months, they caused the deaths of many Athenians (about 5% of the population), took away people's property, and forced others who supported democracy to leave the city.

How the Thirty Tyrants Came to Power

After Athens' navy was destroyed in a major battle called battle of Aegospotami in 405 BC, the Spartan leader Lysander led his navy to Athens. The Athenians got ready for a siege, but without their navy to bring in food, many people started to starve. When the Spartans cut off their supplies, Athens decided to give up in March 404 BC.

At first, the talks about surrendering didn't go well. So, an Athenian general named Theramenes asked the Ecclesia (the Athenian assembly) for permission to talk with Lysander. He believed he could get the best possible terms for Athens. He met with Lysander, who then sent him to Sparta. There, Theramenes worked out the final surrender agreement for Athens, which ended the Peloponnesian War.

Some of Sparta's allies wanted Athens to be completely destroyed, but the Spartans said no. They argued that Athens was an important Greek city. The agreement said that Athens had to tear down its long walls (which protected the city and its port), let people who had been exiled come back, and reduce their navy to only twelve ships. Athens also had to change its government to one chosen by the Spartans and follow Sparta in both "peace and war."

Forming the New Government

To change their laws as Sparta ordered, Athens chose five special officials called ephors. These ephors were in charge of organizing all voting through the phylarchoi, which were tribal councils. The Athenian assembly (Ecclesia) was split on what the new government should be. Some wanted an oligarchy (rule by a few people), while Theramenes became the main leader for those who wanted a democratic system (rule by the people).

Because they couldn't agree, the Spartans stepped in. They demanded that Athens choose thirty men to write new laws and a new constitution. It was decided that Theramenes would choose ten men, the five ephors would choose ten, and the Ecclesia would choose the last ten. These thirty chosen men were then given the job of creating the laws they would rule by.

Who Were the Thirty Tyrants?

The names of the Thirty Tyrants were recorded by a historian named Xenophon:

How the Thirty Ruled Athens

With help from Sparta, the Thirty set up a temporary government in Athens. They brought back the Boule, a council of 500 members. They also appointed other officials, including 10 men to rule the port city of Piraeus. They even hired 300 "whip bearers" (called mastigophoroi) to act as a police force.

The Thirty held trials in the Boule against Athenian leaders who had been against peace with Sparta, and they sentenced these leaders to death. They also tried and executed many "undesirable" people in Athens. Around this time, two of the Thirty, Aeschines and Aristoteles, went to Sparta and asked Lysander to send Spartan soldiers to Athens. Lysander sent a group of soldiers, and the Thirty said it was only temporary until they finished their trials. However, members of the Thirty soon started using these Spartan soldiers as their personal bodyguards.

Instead of writing a new constitution, the Thirty ruled Athens themselves. They limited who could be a citizen and who had the right to "share in the government" to only 3,000 selected Athenians. These chosen people were the only ones allowed to carry weapons, have a jury trial, and live within the city limits. The list of these 3,000 people was often changed. It's thought that the Thirty chose these people because they were very loyal to their rule.

Led by Critias, the Thirty Tyrants began a time of great fear and violence. They executed, murdered, and exiled hundreds of Athenians, taking their belongings afterward. Historians like Isocrates and Aristotle reported that the Thirty executed 1,500 people without a trial. Critias, who used to be a student of the famous philosopher Socrates, was known for his cruelty. He clearly wanted to end democracy, no matter the cost.

The Thirty removed criminals and many ordinary citizens they thought were "unfriendly" to their new government because they supported democracy. One of their targets was even one of their own members, Theramenes. The historian Xenophon wrote that Theramenes was disgusted by Critias's extreme violence and tried to stop him. Critias then accused Theramenes of plotting against them and forced him to drink poison. Many wealthy citizens were killed just so the Thirty and their supporters could take their money and property. They also used their 300 "lash-bearers" to scare Athenian citizens.

The Thirty's rule didn't face much open resistance at first, even though many Athenians disliked the new government. Those who didn't approve had to either fight (risking exile or death) or accept the Thirty's rule. Some supporters of democracy chose to fight and were exiled. One of these was Thrasybulus, a naval commander and a strong supporter of democracy. The uprising that finally overthrew the Thirty in 403 BCE was planned by a group of exiles led by Thrasybulus. Critias was killed during the fighting at the gates of Athens.

What Happened After the Thirty?

The short rule of the Thirty Tyrants was full of violence and unfairness. Some historians argue that the violence was needed to change Athens from a democracy to an oligarchy. However, the more violent the Thirty became, the more people opposed them.

This growing opposition eventually led to the overthrow of the Thirty by Thrasybulus's rebel forces. After the revolution, Athens had to decide how to govern itself and how to deal with the terrible things the Thirty had done. They decided to offer forgiveness (amnesty) to all the members of the selected 3,000, except for the Thirty themselves, a group of prison officials called the Eleven, and the ten men who ruled in Piraeus. After the revolution, Athens and its citizens worked hard to heal and rebuild.

Socrates and the Thirty Tyrants

Because the Thirty wanted to control Athens completely, they tried to exile or kill anyone who openly disagreed with them. The philosopher Socrates stayed in the city during this time. This made some people connect him with the Thirty, and it might have contributed to his later death sentence, especially since Critias had been his student.

In Plato's Apology, Socrates tells a story about when the Thirty ordered him (and four other men) to bring a man named Leon of Salamis to them for execution. Leon was known for being fair and honest. While the other four men obeyed, Socrates refused. He didn't want to be part of the guilt of the executioners. However, he also didn't try to warn or save Leon. By refusing, Socrates might have put his own life in danger, and he said that only the quick end of the Thirty's rule saved him.

Socrates explained his actions:

When the oligarchy came into power, the Thirty Commissioners... summoned me and four others... and instructed us to go and fetch Leon of Salamis from his home for execution. This was... to involve as many people as possible in their crimes. On this occasion, however, I again made it clear... that I gave all my attention to avoiding doing anything unjust or unholy. As powerful as it was, the government did not terrify me into doing a wrong action. When we came out... the other four went to Salamis and arrested Leon, but I simply went home.

Later, in his Seventh Letter, Plato described this event from his own view:

They tried to send a friend of mine, the aged Socrates... with some other persons to carry off one of the citizens by force to execution... but he would not obey them, risking all consequences in preference to becoming a partner in their iniquitous deeds.

The historian Xenophon, another student of Socrates, wrote about a strong disagreement between Socrates and the Thirty, including Critias. Socrates was called before the group and told not to teach or speak to anyone. Socrates made fun of the order by asking if he would still be allowed to buy food in the marketplace. Xenophon used this story to show how Socrates criticized the killing of Athenian citizens by the Thirty, and how the relationship between Critias and Socrates had become very bad by the time Critias gained power.