The Thirty Tyrants: Athens' Year of Terror

The History of Greece: Philosophy, Empire, and Endless Reinvention — Fexingo History · Jun 13, 2026 · 5m · transcript

In 404 BCE, after Athens lost the Peloponnesian War, Sparta imposed a brutal oligarchy known as the Thirty Tyrants. This episode dives into the eight-month reign of terror led by Critias and Theramenes, the reign of the Thirty, and the bloody purge that followed. We explore the role of Spartan backing under Lysander, the confiscation of property, the execution of metics and citizens alike, and the internal power struggle between moderate Theramenes and radical Critias. Key figures: Critias, Theramenes, Lysander, Thrasybulus, Charmides. The episode recounts the Battle of Phyle, the democratic…