hstry

The Thirty take power in Athens

404 BCE, Athens. An event.

Where and when

404 BCEAthens

2,429 years ago

Explore
3000 BCE2900 BCE2800 BCE2700 BCE2600 BCE2500 BCE2400 BCE2300 BCE2200 BCE2100 BCE2000 BCE1900 BCE1800 BCE1700 BCE1600 BCE1500 BCE1400 BCE1300 BCE1200 BCE1100 BCE1000 BCE900 BCE800 BCE700 BCE600 BCE500 BCE400 BCE300 BCE200 BCE100 BCE1 CE100 CE200 CE300 CE400 CE500 CE600 CE700 CE800 CE900 CE1000 CE1100 CE1200 CE1300 CE1400 CE1500 CE1600 CE1700 CE1800 CE1900 CE2000 CEGreat Pyramid of Giza built, c. 2600 BCERome founded (traditional date), 753 BCELast western Roman emperor deposed, 476 CEGutenberg's printing press, c. 1440 CEColumbus reaches the Americas, 1492 CEFirst people on the Moon, 1969 CEToday, 2026

Swipe the line. Bars: entries. Dots: events.

, Athens

After the surrender, Athens votes in thirty men, Critias among them, to write new laws. Backed by Sparta, they rule as an oligarchy.

it was voted by the people to choose thirty men to frame the ancient laws into a constitution under which to conduct the government.

Xenophon, Hellenica 2.3.2Translated by Carleton L. Brownson (1918)Read the full passage (Xenophon, Hellenica 2.3.2, opens scaife.perseus.org)

Background: Thirty Tyrants, Wikipedia (opens en.wikipedia.org)

Why it matters

Though they held power for only eight months, their rule saw 5% of the Athenian population killed, citizens' property confiscated and other democrats exiled.

Based on Wikipedia: Thirty Tyrants

Although they maintained power for only eight months, their reign resulted in the killing of 5% of the Athenian population, the confiscation of citizens' property, and the exile of other democratic supporters.

Wikipedia, Thirty Tyrants (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-09-19. Text CC BY-SA 4.0. Our line is checked against these sentences only.

Related moments

In time order, with this one in its place. Each says why it is here.

  1. c. 406 BCEabout 1.8999999999999773 years earlier Euripides and Sophocles die Same years
  2. 405 BCE1 year earlier The Athenian fleet is lost at Aegospotami Same years
  3. 404 BCE0.19999999999998863 years earlier Athens surrenders and its walls come down Same years
  4. 404 BCEThis momentThe Thirty take power in Athens
  5. set in 404–403 BCEBegins this year Theramenes on his way to execution Rests on this eventAlso in Athens
  6. set in 404–403 BCEBegins this year The Thirty seize Athenians' lands Rests on this eventAlso in AthensAlso about tyrants and the Thirty
  7. set in 404 BCESame year The walls of Athens come down Also in Athens
  8. 403 BCE1 year later Democracy returns to Athens, with an amnesty Also about tyrants and the Thirty
  9. c. 353 BCEabout 51 years later Plato's Seventh Letter on the Thirty Rests on this event

See it among its momentsSee it in the feedExplore by place and time