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HIPPARCHUSApprox. 547 - 514 B.C. |
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The youngest son of Peisistratus, brother of Hippias, with whom he co-reigned in Athens after his father's death (527 BC). He seems to be a peculiar personality, who showed great interest in letters and education, thus faithfully following a part of his father's program.
In Plato's dialogue Hipparchus or Philokerdis, Socrates says of Hipparchus that he displayed many and good works of wisdom. He was the first to bring the Homeric epics to Attica and established their recitation in Panathenaia. He invited to Athens important personalities, Anacreon the Tiios and Simonides the Keios, as well as the oracleologist Onomacritus. Hipparchus himself wrote, among other things, poems and one-line epigrams for Hermon columns with moral advice, of which two survive. He aspired with these poems to educate the citizens, to raise their cultural level and to be considered one of the wise. Aristotle characterizes him as naive, fond of pleasures and fond of music.
It is known that the Peisistratids did many reconstruction projects. One of them, attributed to Hipparchus, was the "Hipparchus wall", i.e. a wall that surrounded the academy grove.
Hipparchus was assassinated by Armodius and Aristogeiton in 514 BC. Thucydides recounts the murder in his book: Hipparchus fell in love with Armodius and wanted to claim him from his lover Aristogeiton. Armodios repelled him and revealed his intention to Aristogeiton. He, hurt amorously and because he feared that Hipparchus because of his power would achieve his purpose, connived with circles of anti-establishment Athenians and organized his assassination.
The murderous action took place on the day of the Great Panathenaia, the only day when citizens could accompany the procession armed. Armodius and Aristogeiton killed Hipparchus near Leocoreion. Aristogeiton was arrested by the guards, while Armodios was killed on the spot.