‘Harmodios and Aristogeiton were honoured for bringing an end to tyranny and restoring democracy in Athens in 514 BCE. In the early fifth century BCE the emerging democracy in Athens was crushed by the coming to power of two tyrants, Hippias and Hipparchos. Although only partially successful — Hippias escaped death — Harmodios and Aristogeiton were celebrated for overthrowing the tyranny. … The message is: tyrants beware, this is a democratic society’ Colin Clews, in ‘Queer Antiquities’, a contribution to Cambridgeshire LGBTQ History Month writes: ‘They were said to be lovers, motivated in part by Hipparchus’ unwanted advances on Harmodios’.
Photo: Harmodios, The Tyrant Slayers, Museum of Classical Archaeology, June 2018