| Polycrates | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrant of Samos | |||||
 Polycrates with Pharaoh Amasis II (19th century illustration). | |||||
| Reign | 540s – 522 BC | ||||
| Predecessor | Aeaces I? | ||||
| Successor | Maeandrus | ||||
| Born | Samos | ||||
| Died | 522 BC Magnesia, Achaemenid Empire | ||||
| |||||
| House | Aeacids | ||||
| Father | Aeaces I | ||||
Polycrates (/pəˈlɪkrəˌtiːz/; Greek: Πολυκράτης), son of Aeaces, was the tyrant of Samos from the 540s BC to 522 BC. He had a reputation as both a fierce warrior and an enlightened tyrant.