This is a list of tyrants from Ancient Greece.

Abydus

  • Daphnis, under Darius I (pro-Persian)
  • Philiscus, c. 368–360 BC (assassinated)
  • Iphiades, 360–? BC

Agrigentum (Acragas)

  • Phalaris, 570–554 BC (overthrown and roasted)
  • Telemachus, after 554 BC
  • Alcamenes, 6th/5th century BC
  • Alcandros (Alcander), 6th/5th century BC

Alabanda

  • Aridolis, 480 BC
  • Amyntas, after 480 BC

Ambracia

  • Gorgus, son of Cypselus,
  • Periander, until 580 BC, son of Gorgus and grandson of Periander of Corinth
  • Archinus, 6th century BC

Amastris

  • Amastris, until 284 BC
  • Eumenes, 284 (hands city over to Kingdom of Pontus)

Argos

  • Laphaes, 6th century BC
  • Pheidon, around 550 BC
  • Perilaus,
  • Archinus, c. 395 BC
  • Aristippus the Elder, after 272 BC
  • Aristomachos the Elder, before 250–240 BC (assassinated)
  • Aristippus, 240–235 BC (killed in action)
  • Aristomachus the Younger, 235–229 BC (resigned), 224–223 BC (tortured and executed)

Assos & Atarneus

  • Eubulus, before 351 BC
  • Hermias, 351–342 BC

Astacus

  • Evarchus,

Athens

  • Cylon, 632 BC (stoned)
  • Pisistratus, 561 BC, 559–556 BC and 546–528 BC
  • Hippias, 527–510 BC
  • Theramenes, Critias, and Charicles leading members of the Thirty Tyrants 404–403 BC
  • Lachares, 300–294 BC
  • Aristion, 88–86 BC (executed)

Byzantium

  • Ariston, , pro-Persian, participated in the Scythian campaign of Darius I

Camarina

  • Psaumis of Camarina,

Cassandreia

  • Apollodorus, 279–276 BC (executed)

Catane

  • Euarchus, 729 BC–?, founder of Catane
  • Deinomenes the Younger,
  • Mamercus of Catane, 345–338 BC

Chalcis (Euboea)

  • Tynnondas,
  • Antileon, 6th century BC
  • Mnesarchus, before 354 BC
  • Callias, c. 354–350 BC, c. 343–330 BC
  • Taurosthenes, c. 330 BC

Chersonese

  • Miltiades the Elder, 555–519 BC
  • Stesagoras, 519–516 BC (assassinated)
  • Miltiades, 516–510 BC, 496–492 BC

Chios

  • Strattis,

Cibyra

  • Moagetes,

Corcyra

  • Lycophron (?), before 587 BC
  • Cleonymus, 303/02 BC

Corinth

  • Cypselus, 657–627 BC
  • Periander, 627–587 BC
  • Psammetich (Psammetichus, named after Psamtik I), 587–584 BC
  • Timophanes, 364 BC (assassinated)
  • Alexander, 253–247 BC
  • Nicaea, 247–245 BC (married)

Cos

  • Scythes, late 6th century BC
  • Cadmus, resigned 494 BC
  • Nicias of Cos, 1st century BC
  • Nicippus, 1st century (with Nicias)

Croton

  • Cleinias,
  • Menedemus

Cumae

  • Aristodemus,

Cyme

  • Aristagoras,

Cyprus

  • Nicocreon, 4th century BC

Cyrene

  • Ophellas, 312–308 BC (assassinated)
  • Lycopus,
  • Nicocrates, c. 51 BC (assassinated)
  • Leander, c. 50 BC (arrested)

Cyzicus

  • Aristagoras,
  • Pythagoras, son of Miletus, 6th century BC
  • Melas the Younger, son of Pythagoras, son-in-law of king Alyattes
  • Aristarchus, sent from Athens, , to rule instead of Melas III
  • Pasicles, 540–530 BC, killed when returning from a feast.
  • Aphinagorus,

Epidaurus

  • Procles, 640 BC

Eretria

  • Themison,
  • Plutarch, (expelled)
  • Hipparchus, c. 345 BC
  • Automedon, c. 345 BC
  • Cleitarchus, 345–341 BC (expelled)

Gela

  • Cleander, 505–498 BC (assassinated)
  • Hippocrates, 498–491 BC
  • Gelon, 491–485 BC
  • Hieron I, 485–466 BC
  • Polyzalus,

Halicarnassus

  • Artemisia I of Caria,
  • Lygdamis II of Halicarnassus, fl. 469–444 BC

Heraclea Pontica

  • Clearchus, 365–353 BC (assassinated)
  • Satyrus, 353–? BC
  • Timotheus, 352–337 BC
  • Dionysius, 337–305 BC
  • Amastris, 305–284 BC (drowned by her sons)
  • Oxyathres, 305–284 BC
  • Clearchus, 305–284 BC

Hermione

  • Xenon, stepped down 229 BC

Himera

  • Terillus, early 5th century BC

Keryneia

  • Iseas, 275 BC (resigned)

Lampsacus

  • Hippoclus,
  • Aeantides,
  • Astyanax, before 360 BC, assassinated

Larissa

  • Medius,

Leontini

  • Panaetius, BC
  • Aenesidemus, 498–491 BC
  • Hicetas, c. 347–338 BC
  • Heracleides,

Lindos

  • Cleobulus, 6th century BC

Locri

  • Dionysius the Younger, 356–346 BC

Megalopolis

  • Aristodemus the Good, (assassinated by the "philosopher tyrannicides" Ecdemus and Damophanes)
  • Lydiadas, c. 245–235 BC (joined the Achaean League)

Megara

  • Theagenes,

Messana

  • Scythes,
  • Cadmus, c. 494–490 BC
  • Anaxilas, c. 490–476 BC
  • Micythus, c. 476–467 BC (retired)
  • Leophron, c. 467–461 BC (popular revolt)
  • Hippon, c. 338 BC
  • Cios the Mamertine, c. 269 BC

Messene

  • Phyliades, before 336 BC (?)
  • Neon, son of Phyliades (expelled in 336 after Philip II died, but restored by Alexander) after 336 BC (?)
  • Thrasybulus, 7th century BC
  • Thoas, 6th century BC
  • Damasanor, 6th century BC
  • Histiaeus, 518–514 BC
  • Aristagoras, (reintroduced democracy)
  • Timarchus, 3rd century BC

Mytilene

  • Myrsilus, late 7th century BC, (Alcaeus was against him)
  • Pittacus, (resigned after ten years)
  • Coes, (stoned)

Naxos

  • Lygdamis, until
  • Aristagoras, c. 502–499 BC

Orchomenus

  • Aristomelidas, Archaic period (?)
  • Nearchus, 234 BC (resigned)

Oreus

  • Philistides, (expelled)
  • Menippus, 341 BC (expelled)

Parium

  • Herophantus,

Pellene

  • Chaeron, after 336 BC

Pharsalus

  • Sisyphus,
  • Polydamas, until 370 BC

Pherae

  • Lycophron
  • Jason, before 370 BC (assassinated)
  • Polydorus, 370 BC (assassinated)
  • Polyphron, 370–369 BC (assassinated)
  • Alexander, 369–358 BC (assassinated)
  • Tisiphonus, 357–355/4 BC
  • Lycophron II, 355–352 BC (resigned)
  • Peitholaus, 355–352 and 349 BC (resigned, expelled)

Phlius

  • Leo,
  • Cleonymus, before 229 BC (resigned)

Phocaea

  • Laodamas,

Phocis

  • Aulis,
  • Phayllus, fl. 352 BC

Pisa

  • Damophon, before 7th century BC (?)
  • Pantaleon,
  • Damophon, fl. 588 BC
  • Pyrrhus, 6th century BC

Priene

  • Hieron of Priene, 300–297 BC

Proconnesus

  • Metrodorus,

Rhegium

  • Anaxilas, 494–476 BC
  • Micythus, (retired)
  • Leophron, c. 467–461 BC (popular revolt)
  • Dionysius the Younger, before 352 BC (expelled)
  • Calippus, 352/351 BC (assassinated)
  • Leptines II, after 351 BC

Samos

  • Demoteles, 7th century BC
  • Syloson, , again c. 521 BC
  • Polycrates, c. 538-522 BC
  • Maiandrius, c. 522 BC (reintroduced democracy)
  • Charilaus, c. 522 BC
  • Aeaces, c. 513 BC, reinstalled after 494 BC
  • Theomestor, after 480 BC
  • Kaios (father of Duris), after 322 BC
  • Duris, c. 300–280 BC

Selinus

  • Theron, 6th/5th century BC
  • Pythagoras, 6th/5th century BC
  • Euryleon of Sparta, 6th/5th century BC (killed)

Sicyon

  • Orthagoras, from 676 BC
  • Myron the Elder, , former Olympian winning in chariot race
  • Aristonymus, father of Cleisthenes
  • Isodemus
  • Cleisthenes, 600–560 BC
  • Aeschines, 560–556 BC removed by the Spartans
  • Euphron, 368–366 BC (assassinated)
  • Aristratus, fl.
  • Epichares (?), fl. c. 330 BC
  • Cratesipolis, 314–308 BC (bribed)
  • Cleon, c. 300–280 BC (assassinated)
  • Euthydemus, c. 280–270 BC (expelled)
  • Timocleidas, c. 280–270 BC (expelled)
  • Abantidas, 264–252 BC (assassinated)
  • Paseas, 252–251 BC (assassinated)
  • Nicocles, 251 BC (expelled by Aratus of Sicyon)

Sigeum

  • Hegesistratus,

Sinope

  • Timesilaus, before 433 BC
  • Scydrothemis, 301–280 BC

Sparta

  • Machanidas, 210–207 BC (killed in action)
  • Nabis, 207–192 BC (assassinated by allies)
  • Chaeron, 180 BC

Sybaris

  • Telys,

Syracuse

  • Gelon, 491–478 BC
  • Hieron I, 478–466 BC
  • Thrasybulus, 466–465 BC (expelled, democracy restored)
  • Dionysius the Elder, 405–367 BC
  • Dionysius II, the Younger, 367–357 BC
  • Apollocrates, 357 BC
  • Heracleides, 357 BC
  • Dion, 357–354 BC
  • Calippus, 354–352 BC
  • Hipparinus, 352–351 BC
  • Dionysius II, the Younger, (restored, 346–344 BC)
  • Timoleon, 345–337 BC
  • Agathocles, 320 BC (banished)
  • Acestorides, 320–319 BC
  • Agathocles, 317–289 BC
  • Hicetas, 289–279 BC
  • Thoenon, 279 BC, See Siege of Syracuse (278 BC)
  • Sosistratus, 279–277 BC

Tauromenium

  • Andromachus,
  • Tyndarion, fl. 278 BC

Thasos

  • Symmachus,

Thebes

  • Leontiades, 382–379 BC (killed)
  • Archias, 382–379 BC (killed)
  • Philippus, 382–379 BC (killed)
  • Hypates, 382–379 BC (killed)

References