Two Notes on Early Athenian History

Abstract

The first event in Athenian history of which we have any real knowledge is Cylon's abortive attempt to establish a tyranny. We have no reason to deny the basic outline of  the story, which remained in the collective memory of the Athenians on account of the sacrilegious massacre in which Cylon's minions fell and for wh ich the Alcmeonids received the biarne. The latter had many enemies who never ceased to dredge the old story up when it became politic so to do.