Strength: 2
Type: Melee Unit
Flavor Text: Is it so wrong to kill a tryant? Better to be hanged a traitor than to live half a man.
Artwork: Man in Armor by Rembrant (17th century)
About the card:
Tyrannicide is unique in history in being near universally beloved (Benjamin Franklin once said "Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God"), yet largely ineffectual or counter-productive in its results. For example, when Caesar was killed by Brutus it did not engender the return to the Republic as Brutus had wished (see also Assassin). Even though the Senate was still nominally in charge, Caesar's nephew Octavian used the dead dictator's estate, political connections, and army to build political and military power in Rome and become Emperor within 15 years of Caesar's death.
Another example would be the French Reign of Terror. After many political killings largely led by Robespierre to destroy enemies of the revolution, Robespierre was executed by the National Convention as a tyrant. His removal from office and execution did not end the Terror outright but now, instead of targeting the enemies of Robespierre, the reactionary government targeted anyone who had anything to do with him before his death. Good government didn't suddenly return to France and the instability that followed allowed for Napoleon's coup and rise to power.
It might be best to view tyrannicide as a roll of the dice. Right now the die is on a number that we can't live with, so roll the die and see what new stable government appears, but don't be shocked if you roll the same number.
