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Critias was an Athenian statesman and a leader of the Thirty Tyrants, a Spartan-imposed oligarchy that ruled Athens from 404 to 403 BCE. This regime was characterized by a violent purge, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,500 Athenians. Critias was part of the Socratic circle, and his involvement with the Thirty Tyrants led to his eventual death. The oppressive rule of the Thirty Tyrants was short-lived, as moderates who had fled the city returned, defeated the tyrants' forces, and restored democracy in Athens.123

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