Cypselus, (flourished 7th century bce), tyrant of Corinth (c. 657– c. 628 bce). Though his mother belonged to the ruling Bacchiadae dynasty, clan members attempted to kill him at birth because his father was an outsider. When he grew up, he overthrew them and set up the first tyrant dynasty. He was encouraged in his quest for power by the oracle at Delphi. He founded colonies in northwestern Greece, administering them through his natural sons, including his successor, Periander. Though he achieved power through demagoguery, he was reputedly so popular that he did not need a bodyguard.
Learn More in these related Britannica articles:
ancient Greek civilization: The decline of the aristocracy…and attesting a grandson of Cypselus in the 590s, settled an old debate about the date of Cypselus’s coup: it must have happened about 650 (a conclusion for which there is other evidence) rather than at the much later date indicated by an alternative tradition. Cypselus and his son Periander…
Corinth, an ancient and a modern city of the Peloponnese, in south-central Greece. The remains of the ancient city lie about 50 miles (80 km) west of Athens, at the eastern end of the Gulf of Corinth, on a terrace some 300 feet (90 metres) above sea level.…
Delphi, ancient town and seat of the most important Greek temple and oracle of Apollo. It lay in the territory of Phocis on the steep lower slope of Mount Parnassus, about 6 miles (10 km) from the Gulf of Corinth. Delphi is now a major archaeological site with well-preserved ruins.…
Periander, second tyrant of Corinth ( c.627–587 bce), a firm and effective ruler who exploited his city’s commercial and cultural potential. Much of the ancient Greek representation of Periander as a cruel despot probably derives from the Corinthian nobility, with whom he dealt harshly.…
More About Cypselus1 reference found in Britannica articles
- history of ancient Greece