21. The Homosexual Scandal That Led to the Birth of Athenian Democracy
In another twist of ancient history, the birth of democracy was inextricably tied to a lethal and sordid scandal. That can be seen in the circumstances that surround the rise of Ancient Athens’ Cleisthenes and the emergence of popular rule in Athens. Born circa 570 BC, Cleisthenes is referred to as “The Father of Athenian Democracy”. He is credited with the creation of the system that, with incremental reforms, governed that city during the Classical era. He came of age when Athens was ruled by a tyrant named Peisistratos.
Tyrant at the time referred to an authoritarian absolute ruler and did not yet carry the word’s modern negative connotations. By all accounts, Peisistratos was a capable ruler, and Athens prospered with him at the helm. He died in 527 BC, and was succeeded as co-tyrants by his sons Hippias and Hipparchus. At first, the duo governed Athens competently and with a light hand. Then Hipparchus was assassinated in 514 BC at the hand of two gay lovers, Harmodius and Aristogeiton, in a private feud that stemmed from an attempt at romance that went bad.