# List of ancient Greek tyrants

This is a list of tyrants from Ancient Greece.

## Abydus

* Daphnis, c. 500 BC 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
* Theron, 488-472 BC
* Thrasydaeus, 472 BC (expelled and executed)
* Phintias, c. 288-279 BC
* Sosistratus, 279-277 BC. Later tyrant in Syracuse

## Alabanda

* Aridolis, 480 BC (POW)
* Amyntas, after 480 BC

## Ambracia

* Gorgus, son of Cypselus, fl. 628-600 BC
* Periander, until 580 BC, son of Gorgus and grandson of Periander of Corinth
* Archinus, 6th century BC

## Amastris

* Amastris, until 284 BC
* Eumenes, 284 until c. 270 BC (hands city over to Kingdom of Pontus)

## Argos

* Laphaes, 6th century BC
* Pheidon, around 550 BC
* Perilaus, c. 546 BC
* 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, c. 430-420 BC

## 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, c. 513 BC, pro persian, participated in the Scythian campaign of Darius I
* Clearchus of Sparta, 411-409 BC, 404-401 BC

## Cardia

* Hecataeus, fl. 323 BC

## Camarina

* Psaumis of Camarina, fl. c. 460 BC

## Cassandreia

* Apollodorus, 279-276 BC (executed)

## Catane

* Euarchus, 729 BC-?, founder of Catane
* Deinomenes the Younger, fl. 470-465 BC
* Mamercus of Catane, 345-338 BC

## Chalcis (Euboea)

* Tynnondas, c. 580 BC
* 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, fl. 513-480 BC

## Cibyra

* Moagetes, fl. 190 BC

## 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 (poisoned?)
* 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

* Cylonius, c. 530 BC
* Cleinias, c. 504-495 BC
* Menedemus, until 295 BC (conquered and †)

## Cumae

* Aristodemus, c. 505-490 BC

## Cyme

* Aristagoras, fl. 513-493 BC

## Cyprus

* Nicocreon, 4th century BC

## Cyrene

* Ophellas, 312-308 BC
* Lycopus, c. 163 BC
* Nicocrates, c. 51 BC (assassinated)
* Leander, c. 50 BC (arrested)

## Cyzicus

* Aristagoras, c. 513 BC

## Dardanos

* Mania, killed by her son-in-law c. 399 BC

## Elatea

* Mnason, 4th century BC

## Elea

* Demylus, 5th century BC
* Nearchus, c. 430 BC

## Elis

* Aristotimus, 272 BC (assassinated)

## Ephesus

* Melas the Elder, 7th century BC, brother-in-law to king Gyges
* Miletus, grandson of Melas, son-in-law of king Ardys
* Pythagoras, son of Miletus, 6th century BC
* Melas the Younger, son of Pythagoras, son-in-law of king Alyattes
* Pindarus, son of Melas, around 560 BC, overthrown by his cousin king Croesus
* Aristarchus, sent from Athens, around 545-540, to rule instead of Melas III
* Pasicles, 540-530 BC, killed when returning from a feast.
* Aphinagorus, fl. 530 BC
* Comas, fl. 530 BC
* Athenagoras, late 6th century BC
* Phanes
* Melancomas, around 500 BC
* Syrpax, until 334 BC (stoned)
* Hegesias, before 323 BC (assassinated)
* Melancomas II, fl. 214 BC

## Epidaurus

* Procles, 640 BC

## Eretria

* Themison, fl. 366 BC
* Plutarch, c. 355-350 BC (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, fl. c. 476 BC

## Halicarnassus

* Artemisia I of Caria, fl. 480 BC
* 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, c. 513 BC
* Aeantides, fl. 515-510 BC
* Astyanax, before 360 BC, assassinated

## Larissa

* Medius, fl. 395 BC

## Leontini

* Panaetius, c. 615/609 BC
* Aenesidemus, 498-491 BC
* Hicetas, c. 347-338 BC
* Heracleides, fl. 278 BC

## Lindos

* Cleobulus, 6th century BC

## Locri

* Dionysius the Younger, 356-346 BC

## Megalopolis

* Aristodemus the Good, c. 262-252 BC (assassinated by the "philosopher tyrannicides" Ecdemus and Damophanes)
* Lydiadas, c. 245-235 BC (joined the Achaean League)

## Megara

* Theagenes, c. 620-600 BC

## Messana

* Scythes, c. 494 BC
* 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 (POW)

## Messene

* Phyliades, before 336 BC (?)

## Methymnae

* Aristonicus, before 332 BC (tortured and executed)

## Miletus

* Amphitres, late 8th or 7th century BC
* Thrasybulus, 7th century BC
* Thoas, 6th century BC
* Damasanor, 6th century BC
* Histiaeus, 518-514 BC
* Aristagoras, c. 513-499 BC (reintroduced democracy)
* Timarchus, 3rd century BC

## Mytilene

* Melandrus, late 7th century BC
* Myrsilus, late 7th century BC, (Alcaeus was against him)
* Pittacus, fl. 600 BC (resigned after ten years)
* Coes, c. 507-499 BC (stoned)

## Naxos

* Lygdamis, until c. 512 BC
* Aristagoras, c. 502-499 BC

## Orchomenus

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

## Oreus

* Philistides, c. 341 BC (expelled)
* Menippus, c. 341 BC (expelled)

## Parium

* Herophantus, c. 513 BC

## Pellene

* Chaeron, after 336 BC

## Pharsalus

* Sisyphus, fl. 395 BC
* 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, c. 540 BC
* Cleonymus, before 229 BC (resigned)

## Phocaea

* Laodamas, c. 513 BC

## Phocis

* Aulis, fl. c. 520 BC
* Phayllus, fl. 352 BC

## Pisa

* Damophon, before 7th century BC (?)
* Pantaleon, fl. 660-644 BC
* Damophon, fl. 588 BC
* Pyrrhus, 6th century BC

## Priene

* Hieron of Priene, 300-297 BC

## Proconnesus

* Metrodorus, c. 513 BC

## Rhegium

* Anaxilas, 494-476 BC
* Micythus, c. 476-467 BC (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
* Decius Vibellius, 280-270 BC (conquered)

## Samos

* Demoteles, 7th century BC
* Syloson, c. 538 BC
* Polycrates, c. 538-522 BC
* Maiandrius, c. 522 BC (reintroduced democracy)
* Charilaus, c. 522 BC
* Syloson, again c. 521 BC
* Aeaces, around 513 BC, reinstalled after 494 BC
* Theomestor, after 480 BC
* Kaois (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, fl. 648 BC, former Olympian winning in chariot race
* Myron the Younger?
* Aristonymus, father of Cleisthenes
* Isodemus
* Cleisthenes, 600-560 BC
* Aeschines, 560-556 BC removed by the Spartans
* Euphron, 368-366 BC (assassinated)
* Aristratus, fl. c. 340 BC
* 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, fl. 510 BC

## 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, c. 510 BC

## 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
* Aretaeus, 352-350 BC
* Nysaeos, 350-346 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
* Hieron II, 275-215 BC
* Gelon II, c. 240-216 BC
* Hieronymus, 215-214 BC
* Adranodoros, 214-212 BC
* Hippocrates, 213-212 BC
* Epicydes, 213-212 BC

## Tarentum

* Aristophylidas, c. 516-492 BC

## Tarsus

* Lysias, before 67 BC

## Tauromenium

* Andromachus, fl. 344 BC
* Tyndarion, fl. 278 BC

## Thasos

* Symmachus, c. 520 BC

## Thebes

* Leontiades, 382-379 BC (killed)
* Archias, 382-379 BC (killed)

## Zeleia

* Nicagoras, 334 BC (conquered by Alexander the Great)