Cypselus was a tyrant of Corinth in ancient Greece, who ruled from around 657 to 627 BCE. He came to power by overthrowing the aristocracy and establishing a more populist regime. Cypselus is often noted for his significant contributions to the city's prosperity, including the expansion of trade and the enhancement of public works. His rule marked the beginning of a dynasty that lasted until his grandson, Periander, succeeded him.
Philolaus, Cypselus, Periander.
One notable tyrant of Corinth was Cypselus, who ruled in the 7th century BCE. He came to power by overthrowing the ruling Bacchiad family and established a tyranny that lasted for about 30 years. Cypselus is credited with significant developments in Corinth, including economic growth and the promotion of trade, which helped elevate the city's status in the ancient Greek world. His son, Periander, succeeded him and is often considered one of the most infamous tyrants of ancient Greece.
In ancient Corinth, two notable kings were Cypselus and Periander. Cypselus, who ruled in the 7th century BCE, established the Cypselid dynasty and was known for his tyrannical rule and significant contributions to Corinth's prosperity. His son, Periander, succeeded him and became one of the Seven Sages of Greece, renowned for his wealth and infrastructure projects, though his reign was also marked by tyranny. Their leadership played a crucial role in shaping Corinth into a powerful city-state.
Corinth had been involved in wars with Argos and Corcyra, and the Corinthians were unhappy with their rulers. At the time, around 657 BC, Cypselus was polemarch, the archon in charge of the military, and he used his influence with the soldiery to expel the king. He also expelled his other enemies, but allowed them to set up colonies in northwestern Greece. He also increased trade with the colonies in Italy and Sicily. He was a popular ruler, and unlike many later tyrants, he did not need a bodyguard and died a natural death.
Zeus, in Greek mythology, is the king of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus, associated with the sky, thunder, and justice. Hades is the god of the underworld, governing the realm of the dead, and is often depicted as a stern figure overseeing his domain. The King of Corinth, often identified as either Cypselus or Periander in mythology, represents human leadership and power, reflecting the complexities of governance and morality in human society. Together, they symbolize the intersection of divine authority, the afterlife, and human rulership in the ancient Greek worldview.
Greek tyrants were not all that bad sometimes, because way back then, a tyrant was chosen to help in a place's time of need, and then give up their power. This contradicts the way people think of tyrants today, usually as a cruel, power-hungry person, but, then, we're talking about hundreds of years ago. Greek Tyrants, generally the 1st generation tyrants, were good people. They chose to favor the poor(Kakoi) and provide work for the poor and seize land from the weathly(Agathoi). During these times (around 650bc) the oligarchy generally favored the rich. If you were part of the Kakoi you were seen as morally "bad" and vice versa for the Agathoi. Tyrant Periander, son of Cypselus, for example, built a stone trackway all the way across the Isthmus of Corinth to increase trade and utilized the work of the poor. Tyrants (1st generation) were great with building and growing economies. As we get later in history to 2nd and 3rd generation tyrants we start to see a trend in unjustice and power abuse. This is where we start to see the beginning of dictatorship.
Classical Greece form because after the Archaic period, Greek art, architecture, literature and philosophy boomed. The Classical Period lasted from 480 to 323 BCE and was a time of great cultural development.
The Greek city-states developed independently because of the terrain of Greece. The land is very mountainous which meant that groups of people were isolated and had no way to easily develop together as a country.