Βασιλεὺς μέγας

[Referring to] the [king] of the Persians.¹ To the other kings they added also the names of those who were ruled: as "of the Lakedaimonians," "of the Macedonians." A king differs from a tyrant. For a king is he who receives sovereignty in succession from his ancestors with specified limits, but a tyrant is he who usurps the sovereignty by force. But [some] use both nouns without distinction. For Pindar calls Hieron a king, although he was a tyrant,² and [others do the same with] Dionysios;³ and Eupolis calls Peisistratos a king.⁴ And kings [are also called] tyrants.