Monarchy in Ancient Greece was a form of government where the king, or monarch, held absolute power over his subjects. The monarch’s claim to his absolute power was based on inheritance, or belonging to the royal family. As a form of government it can be argued that it is the most successful, as it survived all over the world from ancient times to present day. It predates democracy, oligarchy, and tyranny, and often coexists with aristocracy.
Tyranny, as a form of government was very similar to monarchy, with the exception of the provenance of the king. The tyrant had no royal claim and no aristocratic background, and his raise to power was due to political maneuvering, and often the assassination of the previous royal family. Tyranny seems directly linked to democracy, as it appears to stem from democratic regimes. Monarchy, its very close relative, appears to be replaced either with a democracy or another monarchy, as in a new ruling clan replacing another, both rooted in the aristocratic class.
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The most successful and best known oligarchy in Ancient Greece was Sparta. There is some political participation on the part of regular citizens, regardless of their level of income, usually by the power to vote on the few issues presented for a vote by the more powerful aristocratic political participants. The main political players are also elected by the general voting public. Ultimately, the elite political body has the right to veto.
Aristocracy, like oligarchy, is a form of government characterized by the concentration of power in the hands of an elite. Unlike oligarchy, aristocracy does not include political participation from anyone who is not part of the ruling elite. Most monarchs shared their power with an aristocratic class, and weaker monarchs were practically overtaken by powerful