PISIS'TRAT1TS ( Lat., from ak.11eartorparos, Prisistrolos) ?-e.527 n.c.). The famous rant of Athens, sun of Hippocrates and intimate friend of the lawgiver Solon, with whom be was closely related 011 his 1110ther'S side, He re ceived an excellent education, and the charm of his manners as well as the generosity of his spirit was so great. that, according to Solon, had he not been ambitions he would have been the best of the Athenians. But his desire for sovereign power led him to adopt a policy of artifice to attain his ends. which has deprived him of the reputatbm that the kindly character of his government might otherwise have ob tained for him. Pisistratus first became loromi neat in connection with the war between Alegara and Athens, which enbninated in the capture of the Megarian seaport Nisma and the island Salamis by Athens about n.c. 57(1-505. In this struggle he may have held the office of pole march, and his ambition then spurred him to take advantage of the popularity thus gained to seize the sovereign power. lie came forward as leader of one of the three parties into which Attica was then divided. These were the Pe diaci Meamicol), or the Party of the Plain, consisting of the well-to-do landed proprietors; the Parnli (IldpaXot), the Party of the Sea board, to which belonged the wealthy merchant classes; and the Diaerii (Atdocpcot), the Party of tho Highlands, chiefly a laboring popula tion, jealous of the rich and eager for political equality. Pisistratus joined the Party of the 11 ighlands, and attached to himself all the poorer citizens and the discontented by his liberal beneficence. When the time Caine for a decisive step, he drove into the market-place, and there, exhibiting certain self-inflicted wounds, called upon the people to protect him against his and their enemies, alleging that lie had been attacked on account of his patriotism. Thereupon followers, according to Plutarch, were ready to take up arms for Win, a general assembly of the citizens was summoned on motion of Aris one of his supporters, and it was voted to allow him a bodyguard of fifty clubmen. Tra dition says that Solon charged him with hypoc risy, but in vain. Pisistratus gradually in creased the number of his armed attendants, and about n.c. 560„ when he felt himself strong enough, lie seized the Acropolis and established himself as tyrant over Athens. The leaders of the aristocratic party immediately lied from the city. What action Solon took is not definitely known; lie died within two years after the es tablishment of Pisistratus's irresponsible rule.
This rule, however, was not harsh or vindictive. Pisistratus attempted to continue unchanged the constitution laid down by Solon himself, and conferred many benefits upon the poorer citizens. But. the parties of the Plain and the Seashore united against him, and in five years succeeded in driving hiin out. This coalition in turn was soon broken up, and Megaeles, one of the leaders, made overtures to Pisistratus and secured his return. A family quarrel between them, however, caused a second expulsion of the tyrant about 550. He retired to Eubcen, where Ile remained for ten years, watching for his opportunity and making preparations to secure his return. Be gained a following in many of the Greek cities, exploited the gold mines of Mount Pangams, near the Strymon, and collected a. force of mercenary soldiers. At length he was strong enough in friendship with other Greek States to attack Athens. When he landed at Marathon his adherents flocked to his standard, and after defeating the constitntional party he reestablished himself for the third time as tyrant about 540. He continued to hold this position without interruption until his death in 527 (528?). Then his power passed into the hands of his sons Hippias and llipparehus (q.v.).
Pisistratus's rule was mild and beneficent. He reduced taxes, established the poorer citizens on estates, supplying them with the needed re sources, cared for the old and the disabled, and extended Athenian influence abroad. He re covered Sygeum, which commanded the entrance to the Hellespont, and acquired the Thracian Chersonese. His administration is also famous for his encouragement of literature and the arts. Under his direction a splendid temple to Athena was erected on the Acropolis, the Lyceum was built, also a temple to Dionysus in Limme, and lie established a new sanctuary for this god at the foot of the Acropolis. He began the great temple of Olympian Zeus, which was not finished till the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. He also carried through many internal improvements, the most significant being that of the water sup ply. Ile purified Delos, the great shrine of the Ionian race, by removing all bodies buried with in the sacred precinct. Ile made the Athenian religious festivals, in particular the great Palm thenaic festival, more magnificent than they had ever been before. He had a new edition of the Homeric poems prepared by poets and scholars resident at his court.