[2] When his father was forced to flee to Eretria after insulting Megakles by having intercourse with his daughter in an indecent way, Peisistratos held counsel with his sons.

[8] The Alcmaeonidae family of Athens, which Peisistratus had exiled in 546 BC, was concerned about Hippias forming alliances with the Persian ruling class, and began planning an invasion to depose him.

Cleisthenes, an Alcmaeonidian who had served as archon in 525/4 BC before being exiled, bribed the Pythian priestess of Delphi to tell the Spartans that they should help liberate the Athenians.

The deposed tyrant was granted safe passage to Sigeion, from which he made the journey to Lampsakos and then to King Darius in Persia where he stayed at court.

[13] Hippias arrived, but was soon forced into exile once more when the Corinthians and the other Spartan allies expressed that they did not think a tyranny should be imposed upon any of the Greek cities.

[17] According to Herodotus, the night before the Persian fleet reached Attica, Hippias dreamt that he had sexual relations with his own mother, a dream which encouraged him greatly, since he took it as an omen that he would regain possession of his native land and die old there.

He believed that this fulfilled the real meaning of his dream: he would only regain this bite of his native country for his lost tooth held his share.

[24] Construction of the temple of Olympian Zeus, which Peisistratus began in the sixth century BC, continued under Hippias' reign.

[25] Building was halted, however, amidst the political turmoil that followed Hippias' exile and the temple was not completed until the time of Hadrian in 125 AD.

[27] Hippias was one of several Greek aristocrats who took refuge in the Achaemenid Empire following reversals at home, other famous ones being Themistocles, Demaratos, Gongylos, and Alcibiades.

[28] In general, these Greek aristocrats were generously welcomed by the Achaemenid kings, received land grants to support them, and ruled in various cities of Asia Minor.