This article's about the political ruler. For other uses see Tyrant (disambiguation) and Tyranny (disambiguation) In modern usage, a tyrant carries modern connotations of a harsh and cruel ruler who places his or her own interests or the interests of a small oligarchy over the best interests of the general population which the tyrant governs or controls. However, in the classical sense, the word simply means one who's taken power by their own means as opposed to hereditary or constitutional powe… (More on Tyrant)