A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PEISISTRATUS. PEISISTRATUS. 17s
ings left incomplete by Peisistratus, or erecting were built so as to interfere with the public con-:ew ones (though according to Suidas, s. v. so venience put up for sale; and, under pretence of'I7r7rapXov'erXIov, Hipparchus exacted a good issuing a new coinage, getting the old coinage
deal of money from the Athenians for building a brought in at a low valuation, and then issuing it
wall round the Academy) for maintaining their again without alteration. Feeling himself unsafe
mercenary troops, who bore the appellation AvKo- at Athens he began to look abroad for solne place
wroaes (Suid. s. v.; Schol. ad Aristoph. Lys. 664), of retreat for himself and his family, in case he
and providing for the religious solemnities. Hip- should be expelled fiom Athenls. With this view
parchus inherited his father's literary tastes. It he gave his daughter Archedice [ARCHEDICE] ill
was he who erected on the roads leading to the marriage to Aeantides, the son of Hippoclus,
country towns of Attica busts of Herimes, in- tyrant of Lampsacus, an alliance which he would
scribed on one side with the distances from the doubtless have thought beneath him, had he not
city (which distances were measured fiom the observed that Hippoclus was in great favour with
altar of the twelve gods set up in the agora by Dareins.
Peisistratus, the son of Hippias, Thuc. vi. 54; The expulsion of the Peisistratidae was finally
Herod. ii. 7), and on the other side with some brought about by the Alcmaeonidae and Lacedaemoral maxim in verse. (Pseudo-Plat. Ilipparch. nioniians. The former, since their last quarrel with
p. 228, d.) He also arranged the manner in Peisistratus, had shownu unceasing hostility and
which the rhapsodes were to recite the Homeric hatred towards him and his successors, which the
poems at the Panathenaic festival (ibid. p. 228, b). latter met by tokens of similar feelings, insomuch
Several distinguished contemporary poets appear to that they not only demolished their houses, but
have lived at the court of the Peisistratidae under dug up their tombs. (Isocrates, de Big. 26, p. 351,
the patronage of Hipparchus, as, for example, Simo- ed. Steph.) The Alcmaeonidae were joined by
aides of Ceos (Pseudo-Plat. Uipparch. p. 228, c.; other Athenian exiles, and had fortified a strongAelian. V. H. viii. 2), Anacreon of Teos (ibid.), hold on the frontier of Attica, named Leipsydrion,
Lasus of Hermione, and Onomacritus (Herod. vii. on the heights of Parnes, above Paeonia (Aristot.
6). The latter was employed in making a col- ap. Schol. ad zlristoph. Lysist. 665; Suidas, s. v.
lection of oracles of Musaeus, and was banished on eArl AeiLvSplT /udXqx and AvlcuKro6es. Thirlwall,
being detected in an attempt to interpolate them. vol. ii. p. 70, note, remarks that the description
[ONOMxCRmTUS]. This collection of oracles after- seems to relate to some family seat of the Paeoniwards fell into the hands of Cleomenes. (Herod. v. dae, who were kinsmen of the Alcmaeonidae).
90.) The superstitious reverence for oracles and They were, however, repulsed with loss in an atdivination which appears to have led Hipparchus tempt to force their way back to Athens, and
to banish Onomacritus again manifests itself in the compelled to evacuate the fortress (Suidas, 1. c.).
story of the vision (Herod. v. 56). That he was Still they none the more remitted their machialso addicted to erotic gratification appears froom nations against the tyrants (Herod. v. 62). By
the story of Harmodius, and the authority of well-timed liberality they had secured the favour
Heracleides Ponticus, who terms him pcwornc'Ks. of the Amphictyons and that of the Delphic oracle
Of the particular events of the first fourteen years [ALCMAEONI)AE], which they still further secured
of the government of Hippias we know scarcely by bribing the Pythia (Herod. v. 63). The reanything. Thucydides (vi. 54) speaks of their peated injunctions of the oracle to the Lacedaemocarrying on wars, but what these were we do not niians to free Athens roused them at length to send
know. It was during the tyranny of Hippias that an army under Anchimolius for the purpose of
Miltiades was sent to take possession of the Cher- driving out the Peisistratidae (though hitherto the
sonesus. [MILTJAD)ES But a great change in family had been closely connected with them by
the character of his government ensued upon the the ties of hospitality). Anchimolius landed at
murder of -lipparchus (B.C. 514), for the circum- Phalerus, but was defeated and slain by Hippias,
stances connected with which the reader is referred who was assisted by a body of Thessalian cavalry
to the articles HARaODIJus and LEAENA. Hip- under Cineas. The Lacedaemonians now sent a
pias displayed on the occasion great presence of larger force under Cleomenes. The Thessalianl
mind. As soon as he heard of the assassination cavalry were defeated on the borders, apparently at
of his brother, instead of rushing to the scene of it, a place called Pallenion (Andoc. de JMyst. 106),
he went quietly up to the armed citizens who and returned home; and Hippias, unable to withwere forming the procession, and, as though he in- stand his enemies in the field, retreated into the
tended to harangue them, directed them to go Acropolis. This being well supplied with stores,
without their arms to a spot which he pointed out. the Lacedaemonians, who were unprepared for a
He then ordered his guards to seize their arms, and siege, would, ill the judgment of Herodotus, have
to apprehend those whom he suspected of being been quite unable to force Hippias to surrender,
concerned in the plot, and all who had daggers had it not been that his children fell into their
concealed about them. (What Polyaenus, i. 21. hands, while being conveyed out of Attica for
~ 2, relates of Peisistratus has probably arisen out greater security, and were only restored on coinof a confusion with these events.) Under the dition that Hippias and his connections should
influence of revengeful feelings and fears for his evacuate Attica within five days. They retired to
own safety tIippias now became a morose and Sigeum, B. C. 510. (Herod. v. 64, &c.; Paus. iii.
suspicious tyranlt. His rule became harsh, arbi- 4. ~ 2, 7. ~ 8; Aristoph. Lysist. 1150, &c.). The
trary, and exacting. (Thucyd. vi. 57-60.) He family of the tyrants was condemned to perpetual
put to death great numbers of the citizens, and banishment, a sentence which was maintained even
raised money by extraordinary imposts. It is in after times, when decrees of amnesty were
probably to this period that we should refer the passed (Andoc. de Alyst. ~ 78). A monument remeasures described by Aristotle (Oecononz. ii. p. cording the offences of the tyrants was set up in
1347, ed. Bekker), such as having houses that the Acropolis. (Thuc. vi. 55.)