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Hippias of Athens was one of
the sons of Peisistratos, and was the last tyrant of Athens between about 527
and 510, when Cleomenes I
of Sparta successfully invaded Athens and forced Hippias to leave Athens.
He succeeded Peisistratos as tyrant of Athens in 528/7. His brother Hipparchus,
who may have ruled jointly with him, was murdered by Harmodius and Aristogeiton
(the tyrannicides) in 514. Hippias executed the tyrannicides and it was said
that he became a bitter and cruel ruler, executing a large number of citizens
and imposing harsh taxes. Hippias's cruelty soon created unrest among his
subjects. As he began losing control, he sought military support from the
Persians. He managed to form an alliance by marrying his daughter, Archedice,
to Aiantides, son of Hippoklos, the tyrant of Lampsakos. This relationship with
Hippoklos helped facilitate Hippias' access to Darius' court at Susa. The
Alcmaeonidae family of Athens, which Peisistratos had exiled in 546, was
concerned about Hippias forming alliances with the Persian ruling class, and
began planning an invasion to depose him. In 510 Cleomenes I of Sparta
successfully invaded Athens and trapped Hippias on the Acropolis. They also
took the Pisistratidae children hostage forcing Hippias to leave Athens in
order to have them returned safely. The Spartans later thought that a free and
democratic Athens would be dangerous to Spartan power, and attempted to recall
Hippias and re-establish the tyranny. Hippias had fled to Persia, and the
Persians threatened to attack Athens if they did not accept Hippias back.
Nevertheless, the Athenians preferred to remain democratic despite the danger
from Persia. Soon after this, the Ionian Revolt began. It
was put down in 494, but Darius I of Persia was intent
on punishing Athens for its role in the revolt. In 490 Hippias, still in the
service of the Persians, encouraged Darius to invade Greece and attack Athens;
when Darius initiated the campaign, Hippias himself accompanied the Persian
fleet and suggested Marathon as the place where the Persian invasion of Attica
should begin. Hippias had five sons, all of whom along with other Peisistratids
joined the invading Persian army of Xerxes in 480. Never again would the
Peisistratids have influence in Athens. Hippias is said to have died on the
return journey from the Battle of Marathon, at Lemnos. Hippias was one of
several Greek aristocrats who took refuge in the Achaemenid Empire following
reversals at home, other famous ones being Themistocles, Demaratos, Gongylos or
Alcibiades. In general, those were generously welcomed by the Achaemenid kings,
and received land grants to support them, and ruled on various cities of Asia
Minor.
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