The Greeks had their own conception of what usurpers were, calling them tyrants. In the ancient Greek usage, a
tyrant (
tyrannos/
τύραννος in Greek) was an individual who rose to power via unconstitutional or illegitimate means, usually not being an heir to an existing throne. Usurpers often try to legitimize their position by claiming to be a descendant of a ruler that they may or may not be related to. According to
Herodotus, this was done by someone impersonating
Smerdis in order to seize the throne of
Cyrus the Great after his death. The concept of usurpation played a huge role in the governance of monarchies, often carrying disdain to those who have been accused of it. Lengthy advice was given to potential and actual usurpers by the political philosopher
Niccolo Machiavelli in his book
The Prince. Methods discussed were pertinent to the establishment of a more secure principality for the ruler, which Machiavelli stated would require evil to be done at some point. ==See also ==