Читать книгу The Herodotus Encyclopedia - Группа авторов - Страница 264

BRIAN M. LAVELLE

Loyola University Chicago

Athenian clan descended from ALCMAEON, many of whose members were prominent Athenian politicians from the seventh to fifth centuries BCE. The Alcmaeonidae were perpetually accursed and banished from ATHENS for slaughtering the followers of CYLON (c. 636) after his abortive coup failed (5.70.2–71; cf. Thuc. 1.126.2–127.1). Yet they managed to return: MEGACLES (II), son of Alcmaeon, wielded king‐making political power at Athens from c. 570 until PEISISTRATUS’ final establishment of his tyranny in 546 (Hdt. 1.59–61). Herodotus claims that the Alcmaeonidae were inveterate enemies to tyranny and were exiled after Peisistratus’ victory at PALLENE (1.64.3; 6.123.1), but CLEISTHENES SON OF MEGACLES was archon for 525/4 during the tyranny. Cleisthenes’ brother HIPPOCRATES (3) bore the name of Peisistratus’ father (6.131.2), and Alcibiades the Younger proudly proclaimed his Peisistratid affinity in the fourth century BCE (Isoc. 16.25). Expelled again after the MURDER of HIPPARCHUS, then defeated at LEIPSYDRIUM attempting to return, the Alcmaeonidae subsequently enlisted Spartan aid with BRIBERY and help from DELPHI (Hdt. 5.62.2–63.1, 90.1). With Spartan help, they ousted the PEISISTRATIDAE from Athens in 511/10. Cleisthenes subsequently “took the demos into partnership” in 508/7, trumping his opponent ISAGORAS (5.66, 69–70.2; cf. [Arist.] Ath. pol. 19.3–22.2). His invention of DEMOCRACY notwithstanding, Cleisthenes drops suddenly from sight: the implication that the Alcmaeonidae invited PERSIA into Athens’ affairs—very unwelcome to the Athenians—is enhanced by treason charges leveled at them at or after MARATHON. Alcmaeonids were ostracized in the early 480s, but the clan recovered such that PERICLES became Athens’ undisputed leader by the mid‐fifth century. Herodotus vigorously defends the Alcmaeonidae from treason charges, notably the accusation of “shield‐signaling” to the Persians after Marathon (6.115, 121–24): Alcmaeonids were among Herodotus’ primary SOURCES for Athens’ archaic history.

SEE ALSO: Alcmaeonides; Athens and Herodotus; Curses; Exile; Megacles (I) father of Alcmaeon; Megacles (IV) son of Hippocrates; Treachery; Tyrants