|
Sikyon
or Sekyon in their own dialect, according to
the geographer Strabo, was the first settlement of
Achaean Ionians in Greece. Homer refers to Sikyon as "eurychoros"
(wide open space). A large area that lies in the Corinthian gulf
plateau, was extending more than sixteen miles along the coast, from the
Nemea river to the Sythas river and
beyond, and more than thirteen miles inland.
During her long history, Sikyon's name changed many times. It is very
important to write about them, because is mentioned under different
names in the ancient sources.
Her first name was Aigialeia (Aigialean
Ionians) from Aigialeos (1870 BC), who is
mentioned as the founder of the city.
Her second name was Telchis or Telchinia,
from the king Telchin grandson of Aigialeos or
from the Telchines, the famous metal workers,
who according to Strabo were the first workers in iron and
bronze.
A later name was Mycone (mekon=poppy), given
to her by the abundance of the poppy crop in the surrounding area, which
had been brought here for cultivation, as Hesiod
reports, or by the fact that Demeter discovered the
poppy there, as the inhabitants traditionally believed.
The territory in archaic times was called Asopia,
from the Asopos river.
The name "Sikyon", with which the city
was known for most of its history, according to Pausanias was given from
Sikyon of Attica, who married Zeuxippe,
daughter of king Lamedon, and became king of the city.
Another possible derivation of the name is from sikyos or
sikya, a kind of pumpkin in the shape of cucumber, that it
was growing plentiful in Sikyon.
Still another is from the plump terracotta pottery once produced here.
We prefer to go along with Pausanias, who visited the place at the
middle of the second century AD, met the people and wrote about them.
The exact original site of the archaic city has not been found, but it
was probably in all indications near the slopes of the eastward site of
the plateau and had their port where the city of Kiato
lies today.
In 303 BC, Demetrios Poliorketes conquered Sikyon,
destroyed the city and built a new one on their acropolis, which
lied on a high triangular plateau, 4km inland. He named the city Demetrias,
but the name did not last for long, though at later times was used
again, for a short time.
At Byzantine times was also called Hellas.
We know that people (pelasgoi) lived in the area before
Neolithic times (5000 - 3000 BC). Around 1900 BC, the Achaians (Ionians)
made here their first settlement. According to Pausanias description,
the first king and founder of the city was the hero Aigialeos,
whose dynasty lasted for one thousand years (26 kings). From the fourth
(Pelops) Peloponnese (island of
Pelops) took her name.
In the eleventh century BC, the Dorians came in the area. Sikyon was
from the very few towns in Peloponnese, which resisted the invading
Dorians. The city was surprised by night and conquered. Argos, Corinth,
Phlius, Epidauros, Troezen, they all submitted to the Dorians without
any resistance.
A subject first to Mycenae and later to Dorian Argos, Sikyon regained
her independence in the 7th century BC, when the Achaean family of
tyrants Orthagorides took control and governed the city
for one hundred years.
Adrastos
(Early 13th century
BC)
A legendary king of Sikyon and Argos. He was grandson of Bias
and son of Talaos and Lysimache. After a quarrel
between the three houses of Melampus, Bias and Proetos that governed
Argos, he fled to Sikyon to his mother's father king Polybos,
from whom he inherited the kingdom. He later reconciled with his enemy Amphiaraos (who had
killed his father), by giving his sister Eriphyle to him, and
returned to rule Argos. The Homeric catalogue makes him commander of the
Sikyonian army to Troy.
Legend says that in a stormy night he heard loud sounds and coming
outside his court, he saw two men fighting, one carried on his shield a
lion and the other a boar. He immediately recognized the fulfillment of
a strange oracle that had been given to him, to marry his daughters to a
lion and a boar. The fighting men were Polyneikes son of Oedipus,
king of Thebes, and Tydeus
son of Eneus of Calydon. Adrastos
pacified and married them with his daughters Argeia and Deipyle.
In order to reinstate Polyneikes to his throne, he opened war against
Thebes.
Thus begun the famed and fatal expedition of the Seven
against Thebes, from which he alone survived by
escaping with the help of his divine steed Arion.
He begun a new expedition, when the sons of the slain had grown up, with
his son Aigialeos and the Epigonoi
marched against Thebes, captured and destroyed the city. Having lost his
son, he died from grief on his way home. He later was worshipped as a
hero both at Argos and at Sikyon, but with especially solemnity in the
last, where his Heroon stood in the Sikyonian Agora, as
Herodotus himself saw, and where his exploits as well as his sufferings
were celebrated in lyric tragedies.
(Herodotus: History)
Orthagoras
(676 BC)
There was a tradition that Pythia had given a prophesy
to Sikyonians which was saying that the city needed and would get a
hundred years of purification and this was exactly the number of years
the tyranny of Orthagorides lasted.
With the tyrant Orthagoras (a contemporary of Kypselos
and Periandros of Corinth) the Dorian rule that had made Sikyon
a subject to Argos ended. He was the first tyrant of Sikyon but he
governed the city in an almost constitutional way and made her prosper.
Orthagoras, a man of great ability, came to power by appealing to the
racial sentiments of the people, as soon as he was appointed General. He
convinced them, that they were of Achaean origin and had been governed
unfairly by Dorians. The result was the revolution that made him
tyrant.
From the papyrus Oxyrhynchus we learn about
the rise of Orthagoras. He was the son of Andreas, (a cook). At these
times Sikyon had border disputes with Pellene and maintained a force of
border police (peripoloi). Orthagoras distinguished himself in this
force and he became its commander (peripolarchos). He continued to excel
and he was elected commander of all armed forces and finally master of
the state(676 BC).
About these times Sikyon defeated and destroyed the beyond Pellene
and along the coast Donousa, and marched towards Aigeira,
which was saved by the inhabitants, with a trick. They placed torches at
the horns of goats and drove them through the darkness against the
Sikyonian army. Sikyonians seeing the great number of them, postponed
the attack. It was from this incident that the city of Aigeira,
took her name("aigos" = goat).
His son Myron II succeeded him and governed
the city for seven years until he was murdered by his brother Isodemos.
Orthagoras brother Myron dedicated the first
treasury build at Olympia, having won there the chariot race in
the 33d Olympiad at 648 BC.
Kleisthenes
(600 - 560 BC)
He was the most influential of Orthagorides. Under his rule, Sikyon was
made a greater industrial and commercial city. The thirty years that Kleisthenes
governed Sikyon, were the most important ones for her future and
history. The uplift that brought on the Ionian population, had as result
a new life for arts. Sicyionians pioneered everywhere, mostly in
painting and sculpture. Artists from all over Greece came to Sikyon.
Kleisthenes followed a hard line with anything that had to do with Doric
elements. He expelled the hero's Adrastos cult, which was also the
religious entertainment of the city consisted from choruses, drama
theater, and brought back the old cult of Dionysos which was consisted
from dithyrambs, dances, etc. He gave to the poor and middle classes new
privileges. Aristocracy was totally depressed. He renamed the names of
tribes at Sikyon. His own tribe Aigialeis, named after
Aigialeos son of Adrastos, he named Archelaoi (Rulers of the
people) and he called the other three, Hyatae (Pig-ites), Choireatae
(Swine-ites), Oneatae (Ass-ites), representing the dorian
aristocratic classes namely Hylleis, Dymaneis and Pamphyli.
Sixty years after his death, Sikyonians changed the names back.
A new jest and energy came from all these changes. Metallurgy was
developed further, and also various industries such as brass pottery
(that will produce masterpieces), shoe factories (that will make the
finest shoes), garment industry, on top of an already strong agriculture
brought economic prosperity. Sikyon became a land of opportunity.
Dipoinos and Skyllis,
the pupils (or sons) of Cretan sculptor Daedalus,
moved to Sikyon (580-577 BC) and opened their school of sculpture.
Tradition says that when at first came at Sikyon, they left unfinished
their work and went to Aitolia (their work being a group showing the
famous Delphic story of Heracles, backed by Athena, trying to wrest the
tripod from Apollo, backed by Artemis). Plague at Sikyon followed their
departure and the Sikyonians consulting the oracle at Delphi, they were
told by Pythia, that the plague will continue until the artists will
return and finish their work on the temple. Pliny says that this was
achieved by huge rewards and prayers.
Kleisthenes was a versalite man, an athlete warrior who had won the
chariot races at both Pythia(582 BC) and Olympia(572
BC). A brave and eloquent leader, a generous and friendly man who could
be trusted and a political genius. He had a heart for the poor and under
him the town received the old Homeric glamour, even though he had
prohibited the recitation of Homeric poems that were praising Argive
valor. After his victory in the chariot races at Olympia, he proclaimed
to the noble youth that whoever wanted the hand of his daughter Agariste,
must be assembled at Sikyon in sixty days and be entertained for a year,
until he chooses the most worthy.
They started coming from all Hellas at his court. Smyndyrides of
Sybaris brought with him a thousand servants. Kleisthenes tested
their character, accomplishments in gymnastics, intelligence and social
qualities. After the end of the year, came to a close decision between
two Athenians, Hippokleides and Megacles.
At the appointed day for the choice, he sacrificed a hundred oxen.
During the feast, Hippokleides started dancing wildly. Kleisthenes upset
with his behavior said to him: "O son of Tisander, you have
danced away your bride". Megacles was chosen for Agariste.
From their union Kleisthenes of Athens
was born. They also will become great-grandparents of Perikles
of Athens, through their other son.
(Herodotus: History)
One of the greatest achievements of Kleisthenes was the liberation of
the Oracle at Delphi from the town of Krissa(585
BC) and the come Kirra, which was levying exorbitant
dues and even robbed the visitors who came to their port, in order to
consult the Oracle. With the help of Amphictionian League
(Athenians, Thessalians), he blockaded the port with the Sikyonian navy
and after strenuous resistance which lasted ten years, conquered and
totally destroyed Kirra (first sacred war 595-585 BC).
Kleisthenes reorganized the Pythian games in a splendid manner,
as a four year celebration, like the ones at Olympia (from a single
musical contest he added chariot races, wrestling, running, etc.).
The temple was taken under the protection of the League, now also
called the Delphic Amphictionia.
He founded Pythian games also at Sikyon and built a new Sikyonian
treasury at Delphi.
Two of the five Metope of Treasury at Delphi
Third Metope of Treasury at Delphi
Fourth Metope of Treasury at Delphi
Treasury at Olympia
If one thing can be said against Kleisthenes, it is the very hard line
he adopted against aristocracy. This had as a result the abrupt
discontinuation of the rich culture they had developed and which wisely
Orthagoras and his son Myron had left to stand. Taking as a source
Herodotus we can say that at Orthagoras time tragedy had been evolved.
(What else other than tragedy, no matter at what stage of development,
are the performances of the sufferings, misfortunes, heroic deeds of
Adrastos, choruses, etc.?) (Herodotus:
History)
The argument, that tragedy originated at Sikyon, is
also supported by sources which make Epigenes the
Sikyonian poet the first man who wrote a tragedy and also the insistence
of Dorians that they had invented tragedy as well as comedy. (Sources)
(560
- 368 BC)
Aeschines, the successor of Kleisthenes, was
expelled by the Lacedemonians in 556 BC and Sikyon joined the
Peloponnesian league remaining loyal ally of Sparta for the next one
hundred and fifty years. During this time Sikyon prospered a fact which
is revealed from the increase of her coinage.
Sikyonians fought the invaded Persians with great bravery at Mycale
in Mellitus (September 479 BC, which occurred on the same day with the
battle at Platea) and fell like heroes with
their general Perilaus. Along with the
Athenians, Corinthians and Troizenians made the joint assault that gave
them the victory. They lost in the battle more men than any other city.
They also fought bravely twice the Athenian force under the admiral Tolmides
(455 BC) and Pericles himself with 1000
oplites (453 BC) on open battle, when the Athenians tried to conquer the
Corinthian gulf. At both times Athenians won but failed to reduce Sikyon.
Euphron
(368 - 366 BC)
The invasion of Peloponnese by Thebes, in order to suppress and weaken
further Sparta, brought turmoil in all the city-states. In these
unsettled times a chief citizen of Sikyon named Euphron
took the opportunity to establish democracy and to become tyrant of the
city (368 BC).
The detailed history of these events is as follows:
The Thebans put down the existing oligarchies of the Achaean cities and
exiled the chief oligarchical members putting their own harmost in each
one of them. Sikyon an ally of Thebes at these times, having already an
harmost and garrison, was still remaining oligarchical. It was such the
general situation when Euphron took the opportunity and seized power. He
warned Arcadian and Argos, that if oligarchy left in power, sooner or
later they will fall under the influence of Sparta and for that reason
it was indispensable that Sikyon should be democratized. (A great number
of oligarchical exiles by uniting forces were able to overthrow some of
these newly formed democracies, expelling the Theban harmost and putting
them under the influence of Sparta).
Arcadians and Argeians sent a large force and under their protection
Euphron summoned a general assembly in the market place and proposed to
the people that oligarchy ought to be deposed and Sikyon be
democratized. His proposition was adopted and was elected with other
five as chief general. He immediately freed all slaves and gave them
citizenship. By assassinating elected colleagues, he became complete
master of the city. On suspicion of Laconism, he exiled and
confiscated the fortunes of the wealthier citizens. He pillaged the
public treasure and even stripped the temples from the great amount of
ornaments in gold and silver. With the money, he was enabled to
increase and reorganize the previous existing mercenary force of the
oligarchy, which he trusted under the command of his son Adeas. He also
was able to bribe leading Arcadians and Argeians to strength his
position.
It was such the degree of his intrigues and such intolerable had become
his tyranny (attacking the near-by Phlius, bribing, corrupting and
assassinating) that Arcadians who had helped him to take control of the
city turned against him. An Arcadian force under the general Aeneas
of Stymphalus, marched at Sikyon and forced him to consent
and recall all the sikyonian exiles. Euphron dreading the wrath of
them retired at the harbor with his mercenaries (the harbor was a
fortified separate town, not far from the city). He immediately declared
himself an open partisan of Sparta, inviting the Lakaidemonians to take
seize of it, with no success. With the help of Athenians finally
returned back to the city.
He later visited Thebes in order to persuade them to take control of the
city and re-exile his opponents. He was murdered there in broad
day light on the Kadmeia in front of the Hall of Counsil, from a number
of oligarch sikyonians, who were following closely his actions. The
magistrates invoked on them the death penalty but after a trial they
were acquitted. In Sikyon his memory was cherished and he was worshipped
as a second founder of the city. The fact shows that under the rule of
Euphron the masses of the people were happier than under the political
opponents whom he had so mercilessly treated. His son succeeded to his
power.
It was followed by the take over of the city by the Macedonians. Cratesipolis,
after the assassination of her husband Alexander at Sikyon in
314 BC, put down the uprising in Sikyon, took control of the city and
executed the thirty ringleaders. After restoring order, she governed
Sikyon and Corinth for six years, until the arrival of Ptolemy of Egypt,
to whom she handed over the command.
In 303 BC, Demetrios Poliorketes razed the
ancient city in the plain and built a new one on the ruins of the old
Acropolis, which lied on a high triangular plateau, 4km inland. For a
short time the city was called "Demetrias" in his
honor, but the name did not last for long.
Tyrants
(303 - 251 BC)
Sikyon, after the times of Kleisthenes who had broken up the rule of
Dorian aristocracy, was the place of continuous strife and internal
arrest and suffered from a great number of tyrants and demagogues.
That was the case when Kleon became the tyrant
of the New City.
Kleon was killed and Eythydemos and Timokleidas
became together tyrants of Sikyon, but the people expelled them and
selected Kleinias to govern the city. One of
his accomplishments was the building of the Gymnasium.
Some years later Kleinias was assassinated by Abantidas,
who put to death his closest friends and banished all who were in favor
of him. He also tried to kill Kleinias son, Aratos,
who at the time was only seven years old. Fortunately for him, the
tyrant's sister Soso, who was married to
Kleinias brother, took pity of him, hid him, and at night send him to
friends of the family, at Argos. Abantidas was killed by the people and
his father Paseas became tyrant, but not for
long. He was killed by Nicokles who became the
new tyrant.
From these incidents Aratos felt hatred for tyranny and when he grew up
started thinking how to liberate his country from the tyrant Nicokles.
In vain he tried to receive aid from the kings of Macedonia and Egypt
and so, he decided to free Sikyon by organizing other exiles and to take
the town by force.
Aratos
(271 - 213 BC)
A great statesman of the Hellenistic period. He was a skilled diplomat
and the leader of Achaean league for a generation. At age twenty, in 251
BC, with a few men employing commando tactics, he liberated Sikyon from
his tyrant Nicokles, a protege of king Antigonos
of Macedonia, and established democracy.
He made his attempt at night with a force of Sikyonians exiles and
Argive mercenaries. Avoiding the observation of the guards, he
entered the city. At day's breaking supported by the people, he
took control of Sikyon. Aratos immediately restored equality of
political rights, brought back the exiles and returned their property. (n1)
Eight years later (243 BC) employing the same guerilla methods he
captured Acrocorinth
and liberated Corinth from the Macedonian rule. At 241 BC, he defeated
his neighbor city state Pellene. With Aitolia as an ally(239 BC), he
attacked Argos , which ten years later (229 BC) he succeeded to bring it
in the Achaean league. The same year he also liberated Athens by bribing
the Macedonians at Pireaus.
He united all the city states of Peloponnese, except Sparta and Elis,
and established democracies. Aratos was defeated twice by King Kleomenes
of Sparta, but he finally succeeded to defeat and dethrone him at 222
BC, by combining forces with Antigonos Doson king of Macedonia.
He also fought his former allies, the aggressive Aitolians with whom the
war ended at 217 BC.
As a character and general, Aratos was criticized and blamed for his
leadership from many, who even questioned his statesmanship, arguing
that he was responsible for the domination of Peloponnese by the
Macedonians, though his first objective was to free Peloponnese from
them.
These arguments are superficial, the truth is that as character he
proved his courage and boldness on many occasions and his success or
failure as general is not at all clear. Aratos proved his statemanship
when united the whole Peloponnese under democratic rule and by keeping
his post as leader of the Achaean league for twenty five years.
Aratos was murdered at 213 BC, by king Phillip of Macedonia.
He wrote also memoirs (lost), which Polybius used in his
history.
Plutarch:
Aratus
(212
BC - 500 AD)
After Aratos Sikyon never regained its old glamour, though the city
survived to the present time. During the Roman times, Sikyon was very
popular.
After the destruction of Corinth by the Romans (146 BC), Sikyon
continued to survive, though they had the misfortune of two big
earthquakes (153 BC and 141 BC). Antoninus the Pius probably
helped for reconstruction of the city, which found a new pick until the
Roman general Sulla plundered the city (87 BC). Antony's wife Fulvia
died at Sikyon in 40 BC.
During the third century AD, Sikyon rebuild the upper level of the
Gymnasium and converted the Bouleutirion to a bath house, but this did
not stop the people to move from the plateau to the harbor, where a new
city "Nea Sikyon" started developing.
Sikyon played also
a role in the expansion of Christianity. At the fourth century AD, two
churches were build on the plateau. The one was near the present church
of Agia Triada at Vasiliko and the other on
top of the archaic temple in the Agora. People continued to live in this
place until the present time. |
