A Study On The Tyranny Of Archaic Sikyon

The tyranny of Sicyon lasts for about 100 years, from 657/6 B.C. to 556/5 B.C.. Under the background of the great economical and political change of Greek society, the tyranny of Sikyon appeared as a scheme to solve the political crisis it faced with.The reign of Cleisthenes is the summit of the tyranny. On internal affairs, he changed the names of tribes of Sikyon and dedicated the chorus of Adrastos to Dionysus. These instances show his cultural abandonment of aristocracy and esteem given to these marginal gods believed by the populace, which reflect the progress to the democracy. And for external, the First Sacred War improved the relationship of Sikyon with Delphi, the relationship with Argos and Corinth turned better than the period before Cleisthenes.At last, the fall of the tyranny resulted from the expansion of Sparta in Peloponnese. On the foreign relations, at the beginning of the tyranny, Sikyon was some kind of client state of Argos, Corinth, etc. During the period of Cleisthenes, Sikyon strengthened her influence apparently. After the rise of Sparta in the peninsula, Sikyon become part of the Ally of Peloponnese.In brief, the tyranny of Sikyon is classified to a traditional mode of tyranny. The tyrants do not change the ruling institutions apparently, their appearance is a way to get out of the crisis, and all their actions show their dominance of Sikyon. These are what the tyranny of Sikyon resemble other states of this period.