It took Pisistratus several very colorful attempts to seize power in Athens before finally establishing himself as in 547 BC.

A popular general, Pisistratus first tried to seize power in about 560 BC. Posing as a champion of the hill farmers, he inflicted wounds upon himself and drove his cart into Athens alleging his opponents had attacked him. Taken in by his story the Athenians granted him his own bodyguard, which he then used to seize control of the Acropolis. However, soon after his political opponents united and drove him out of the city.

This second attempt at gaining power was described by Herodotus as "the silliest trick which history has to record.". Dressed in gleaming armor, he arrived in the city accompanied by a tall and beautiful woman, posing as the goddess Athena. The Athenians rejoiced at the arrival of their new leader and the 'goddess' even when they discovered Athena was actually a tall girl called Phye from a local village. To cement his power, he married the daughter of Cleisthenes father, Megacles. However, when Pisistratus discovered the curse of the Alcmaeonids, he divorced her. Without their support his rule came to an abrupt end.

A decade later he returned once more at the head of an army and finally established himself as undisputed tyrant, having been fortunate enough to discover a silver mine in Thrace and make strong allies in the intervening years.