Rational actors? Hippias and Aristogeiton

Eleni Panagiotarakou

doi:10.25205/1995-4328-2019-13-1-19-31

Abstract

This paper seeks to address the extent to which ancient historical actors might be seen to have exhibited what might be described as rational motives. In particular, it examines a number of strategic interactions employed by the Athenian tyrant Hippias in his interactions of Aristogeiton, the protagonist of an unsuccessful coup d’etat. A secondary objective of this paper is to explore Hippias’ reactionary policies following his brother’s assassination, namely, whether Hippias’ choice of external allies, in the face of possible exile, were irrational as suggested by some ancient authors.

Highlights

This paper seeks to address the extent to which ancient historical actors might be seen to have exhibited what might be described as rational motives
It examines a number of strategic interactions employed by the Athenian tyrant Hippias in his interactions of Aristogeiton, the protagonist of an unsuccessful coup d’etat
A secondary objective of this paper is to explore Hippias’ reactionary policies following his brother’s assassination, namely, whether Hippias’ choice of external allies, in the face of possible exile, were irrational as suggested by some ancient authors

Summary

Introduction

This paper seeks to address the extent to which ancient historical actors might be seen to have exhibited what might be described as rational motives. It examines a number of strategic interactions employed by the Athenian tyrant Hippias in his interactions of Aristogeiton, the protagonist of an unsuccessful coup d’etat. My main argument is that Hippias’ downfall, and the fall of tyranny in ancient Athens, was not due to any incompetence or irrationality on Hippias’ part as some ancient scholars have suggested Instead, his overthrow in 510 BC appears to have resulted, among other things, from a domino-type series of events that begun when his younger brother, Hipparchus, became involved in a love-triangle involving a younger man by the name Harmodius and his older lov-. While the fifth and last part discusses the actions of Hippias and the resulting and aftermath following Aristogeiton’s confession during his torture in the hands of Hippias

The Rise of the Peisistratid Tyranny

The Love Triangle

Hippias and Aristogeiton

The Aftermath