Background
The principal historical sources covering the two are Thucydides in his History of the Peloponnesian War (VI, 56-59) and The Constitution of the Athenians (XVIII) attributed to Aristotle or his school, but their story is documented by a great many other ancient writers, such as Herodotus and Plutarch. Herodotus claimed that Harmodius and Aristogeiton presumably were "Gephyraeans" i.e. Boeotians of Syrian or Phoenician origin. Plutarch in his book On the malice of Herodotus criticized Herodotus for prejudice and misrepresentation and he argued that Harmodius and Aristogeiton were Euboeans or Eretrians.
Peisistratus seized power in 561 BC and established a dictatorial regime. Peisistratus is usually called a tyrant, but in archaic Greek the word tyrannos does not mean a cruel and despotic ruler, merely one who took power by force. Peisistratus was in fact a very popular ruler, who made Athens wealthy and powerful, although the old aristocratic families he had driven from power hated him. When Peisistratus died in 528/527 BC, his son Hippias, with the help of his younger brother Hipparchus, retained power. The two continued their father's policies, but their popularity declined after Hipparchus began to abuse the power of his position.
Hipparchus invited Harmodius' young sister to be the kanephoros (to carry the ceremonial offering basket) at the Panathenaea festival, and then publicly chased her away on the pretext she was not a virgin, as required. This was an offense of such magnitude to Harmodius' family that he, together with Aristogeiton who was already fired by feelings of jealousy due to Hipparchus having made unrequited sexual advances toward Harmodius (possibly the motivation for Hipparchus's humiliation of Harmodius's sister), resolved to assassinate both Hippias and Hipparchus and thus to overthrow the tyranny.
According to Aristotle, it was Thessalos, the hot-headed son of Peisistratus´ Argive concubine and thus half-brother to Hipparchus, who was the one to court Harmodius and drive off his sister.
Read more about this topic: Harmodius And Aristogeiton
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