Polycrates

Polycrates (/pəˈlɪkrəˌtiːz/; Greek: Πολυκράτης), son of Aeaces, was the tyrant of Samos from c. 538 BC to 522 BC.

He took power during a festival of Hera with his brothers Pantagnotus and Syloson, but soon had Pantagnotus killed and exiled Syloson to take full control for himself. He then allied with Amasis II, pharaoh of Egypt, as well as the tyrant of Naxos Lygdamis. With a navy of 100 penteconters and an army of 1,000 archers, he plundered the islands of the Aegean Sea and the cities on the Ionian coast of Asia Minor, defeating and enslaving the navies of Lesbos and Miletus. He also conquered the small island of Rhenea, which he chained to nearby Delos as a dedication to Apollo.

He had a reputation as both a fierce warrior and an enlightened tyrant. On Samos he built an aqueduct, a large temple of Hera (the Heraion, to which Amasis dedicated many gifts), and a palace later rebuilt by the Roman emperor Caligula. In 522 BC he celebrated an unusual double festival in honour of the god Apollo of Delos and of Delphi; it has been suggested that the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, sometimes attributed to Cynaethus of Chios, was composed for this occasion. Polycrates was probably a patron of the poets Anacreon, and Ibycus and of the Crotonian doctor Democedes.

Polycrates (sophist)

Polycrates (c.440-370 B.C. - flourished 4th century) was a sophist of Athens, who later retired to Cyprus.

Works

He wrote a work variously titled (here given as), The Indictment of Socrates, thought written sometime during the 390's B.C. and also works, according to one source lauding, to another condemning, the individual Clytaemnestra, who was known to have murdered her husband, and Busiris who killed and ate his guests. In addition to this verses on cooking pots, mice, counters, pebbles and salt.

References

Polycrates (disambiguation)

Polycrates (Ancient Greek: Πολυκράτης, Polykratēs) may refer to:

Persons

Other