Polycrates
6th century BC tyrant of Samos · Politicians · Lived 574 BC to 522 BC · aged 52
The tyrant who ruled Samos for two decades in the 6th century BC, known equally for violence in battle and a sharp eye for governing - a combination rare enough to be remembered 2,500 years later.
Polycrates is read about 121 times a day, in 39 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 9 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 111 days, one point a day.
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, Polycrates, tyrant of Samos, ruled over many islands and many cities of the mainland.
Fill high the bowl with Samian wine! We will not think of themes like these!
About this person
Polycrates, son of Aeaces, seized control of Samos in the 540s BC and held it until 522 BC. His rule earned him a double reputation: as a warrior who struck fear, and as a tyrant who somehow governed with intelligence and vision. That duality - brutality paired with enlightenment - made him an outlier among Greek strongmen. He died in 522 BC, but the contradiction at the heart of his reign kept his name in circulation long after the island moved on.
