Harmodius Aristogeiton

(6th century BC)Athenian youths with a famous friendship which was to be their destiny.

When the brother and co-ruler of the tyrant Hippias, Hipparchus, tried to make friends with Aristogeiton and failed to do so, he publicly insulted Harmodius's sister.

This made the two friends plot to kill the two tyrants. On the day of the Athenian festival Panathenae, they murdered Hipparchos but failed to kill Hippias.

The tyrants guards immediately killed Harmodius while Aristogeiton was tortured and excecuted.

They were later honoured by the Athenians as martyrs of freedom, when Hippias was expelled four years after the killings.