The Thirty Tyrants
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The thirty magistrates appointed by Sparta over Athens, at the termination of the Peloponnesian war. This "reign of terror," after one year's continuance, was overthrown by Thrasybulos (403 B.C ).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Thirty Tyrants” mean?
The thirty magistrates appointed by Sparta over Athens, at the termination of the Peloponnesian war. This "reign of terror," after one year's continuance, was overthrown by Thrasybulos (403 B.C ).
Is “The Thirty Tyrants” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.