Isagoras, son of Teisandros, and Isagoras, Eponymous Archon of 508/7

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Bibliographic Data

ID3939646
AuthorsDavid J Mccargar (corresponding author)
Year1974
Volume28
Issue3
Pages275
Publication date1974-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePhoenix (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0031-8299 • E-ISSN: 1929-4883
PublisherJSTOR (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/1087502
OpenAlexW2319540736
LanguageEN
Citations received13

M ODERN RECONSTRUCTIONS of Athenian political development in the last decade of the sixth century B.C. employ the belief that Isagoras, the eponymous archon of 508/7,1 is Isagoras, son of Teisandros and Kleisthenes' major political rival in the factional struggles that follow the end of the tyranny at Athens.' This belief has been derived from chapters 20 and 21 of the Atlthenaion Politeia wherein an account of Kleisthenes' contest with Isagoras, his political opponent, immediately precedes the date of Kleisthenes' reforms (at least those described in chapter 21), which is given as the archonship of Isagoras. The text is seductive: identity of the two men named Isagoras seems necessary and natural for no attempt is made to distinguish between them. Yet, the question arises, how could Aristotle' have known identity to be the case? Herodotus' narrative, which does not mention the archonship of Isagoras, has obviously provided, directly or indirectly, the basis for the version of events in the Athenaion Politeia although this account is not verbatim:4

Aesthetics · Art · Genealogy · Identity (music · Linguistics · Classical Antiquity Studies · Classics · Historical and Literary Studies · History · Philosophy

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