Demetrios of Phaleron

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Fantasy statue of Demetrios at the entrance to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Demetrios of Phaleron ( Greek Δημήτριος ὁ Φαληρεύς Dēmḗtrios ho Phalēreús , Latin Demetrius Phalereus ; * around 360 BC in Phaleron near Athens ; † around 280 BC in Upper Egypt) was an ancient Greek philosopher , politician and rhetorician . He was a student and friend of the philosopher Theophrastus of Eresus and a representative of the Peripatetic school. As a confidante of the Macedonian general Kassanderhe practiced from 317–307 BC. The governorship from Athens. In this capacity he introduced innovations in the administration, economy and legislature of the city. The appearance of Demetrios I Poliorketes in front of Athens forced him to abdicate. He went first to Thebes and in 297 BC. Chr. To Egypt where he the king's advisers, Ptolemy I was. During his exile in Egypt he also wrote most of his historical, philosophical and literary writings, which have been lost except for fragments. When Ptolemy II. 283 BC When Demetrios came to power, he fell out of favor, was exiled to the country and died a little later, allegedly of a snakebite.

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Several ancient authors who were contemporaries of Demetrios of Phaleron wrote about him in their works, which are now lost to fragments, such as Philochoros in the 7th book of his Atthis , Diyllos of Athens (probably in his histories ), Duris of Samos in the 16th century . Book of his histories with a strongly opposing tendency as well as Demochares in his contemporary history from an equally hostile point of view. Hieronymus von Kardia probably acted in the same way in his lost history of the Diadochi about Demetrios and he may have ultimately provided the important information that Diodorus brings about Demetrios in the surviving books 18-20 of his Bibliothḗkē historikḗ . The time of Demetrios was also close to the philosopher Hermippus , who wrote a biography about him. End of the 2nd century BC Karystius of Pergamon lived in the 3rd book of his Historia hypomnemata , which included anecdotes about early Hellenistic people, on Demetrios of Phaleron. A preserved ancient short biography of Demetrios can be found in Diogenes Laertios in the fifth book (chapters 75-85) of his life and teachings of famous philosophers ; its historical core and the list of scriptures probably go back to Hermippus. The short biography of Demetrios in the Byzantine lexicon Suda has less value .

Life

Lineage and Early Life

Demetrius of Phaleron was born as the son of Phanostratos in a low class. He was a pupil of the philosopher and botanist Theophrastus of Eresus and later remained his friend, but probably also attended the one in Athens until 323 BC. Lectures held by Aristotle . Demetrios gave Theophrastus a garden, which also contained a sanctuary for the muses and a library. This is now in the National Garden in Athens. It was on this property near Theophrastus that Demetrios met the future comedian Menander and the speaker Deinarchus , with whom he became friends.

For the first time Demetrios was 324 BC. Politically active. As a peripatetic , he was averse to the form of democracy prevailing in Athens at the time . In contrast, he admired the Macedonian monarchy and therefore joined the party of the Athenian politician Phokion . After Athens was defeated at the Battle of Krannon in 322 BC. BC he belonged together with Phokion and the speaker Demades to the embassy sent to the Macedonian headquarters, which negotiated the terms of peace with Antipater and Kraterus . When the Democratic Party of Athens after Antipater's death in 319 BC BC took over the government again in the city and imposed the death penalty on Phokion and his followers, Demetrios was able to escape. He withdrew with many of his party comrades to Piraeus , which Nikanor was occupying. When the Macedonian general Kassander appeared before Athens (318 BC), the democratic city government had to make peace with him. In the negotiations that took place here, Demetrios rendered important services to the Diadochi and was consequently appointed governor of Athens by Cassander.

Governor of Athens

Demetrios headed the administration of Athens for ten years. Since he had been installed in his position by Kassander, he had no authority to pursue independent foreign policy and was therefore limited to local politics. He managed to keep the city largely out of the turmoil of his time. He also introduced innovations in the administration, economy and legislature. Among other things, he legally curbed the luxury and exaggerated effort that has so far often been practiced at funeral ceremonies, the production of grave monuments and the organization of weddings and banquets. The council meeting on the Areopagus was given the task of monitoring religious and moral behavior. Demetrios also abolished the previous form of choreography , in which wealthy citizens had to pay for the equipment of the Dionysian agone ; Instead, a special official ( agonothet ) paid from the state treasury now had to prepare and direct the agone. It was probably also Demetrios who set up the authority of the seven nomophylakes (“law enforcement officers ”) or at least expanded their area of ​​responsibility. According to the ancient historian Ktesikles , he also carried out a census by which the number of adult men of all classes of the population of Attica was determined, according to which there were 21,000 citizens, 10,000 metics and a much larger number of slaves . The extent to which Demetrios was influenced by the political theories of Aristotle in his legislative work, which benefited wealthy citizens, is assessed differently in research.

Demetrios' administration of Athens was generally beneficial to the city. The annual state revenues amounted to the considerable sum of 1,200 talents , and Demetrios, who was an eminent financier, managed them carefully. During his reign there were significant surpluses in the treasury. Yet he seems to have spent large sums of money on representative purposes; He also financed many projects to beautify the city and a strong mercenary force. 309/308 BC He was an archon and in this capacity organized a splendid procession at the great Dionysia . A festival song composed by Castorion in honor of Dionysus was performed, in which Demetrios received much praise. Many Athenians valued Demetrios and they erected numerous statues for him (supposedly 360 - as many as they counted days in the year). After their expulsion (see below), the fickle people are said to have smashed all of their statues of honor except for a statue on the Acropolis .

Duris of Samos and Karystios of Pergamon report that Demetrios lived very extravagantly, organized lavish dinners and had numerous love affairs, especially during his governorship of Athens. For this he had spent significant sums of money from the city's rich income. But this information is unreliable and clearly exaggerated. The ancient authors unanimously emphasize Demetrios' striking attractiveness, which he tried to raise with all sorts of artistic means. After subtracting the exaggerations, the historical core may be that Demetrios was an elegant bon vivant in private.

307 BC BC Demetrios I Poliorketes appeared with a strong fleet before Athens, conquered Piraeus and had a herald proclaim the liberation of the city. Demetrios von Phaleron had meanwhile withdrawn to the city after losing the port. But the number of his political opponents grew rapidly. The demos decided the next day that Demetrios of Phaleron should lead an embassy to negotiate with Demetrios Poliorketes and mediate the surrender of Athens. Poliorketes paid tribute to the Phalereer and guaranteed to ensure his personal safety. But Demetrios von Phaleron no longer felt safe in Athens and left the city.

Later life and death

After leaving Athens, Demetrios von Phaleron first went to Thebes , lived here in poverty and made friends with the Cynic Krates . After Kassandros' death in 297 BC In BC he no longer considered himself safe in Thebes either and moved to Egypt , where from then on he lived at the court of King Ptolemy I. He worked as an advisor to the Ptolemaic ruler, by whom he had been honored, and headed the legislative commission set up by Ptolemy. Ancient reports that ascribe an important role to Demetrios in the establishment of the library of Alexandria are unbelievable . Demetrios wrote most of his writings during his exile in Egypt.

Ptolemy II Philadelphus , the son and successor of Ptolemy I, was not sympathetic to Demetrios. When after the death of his father in 283 BC he After taking power in Egypt, he expelled Demetrios from Alexandria and had him held in custody somewhere in the country. There Demetrios allegedly died of the bite of a snake, either on the orders of Ptolemy II or just by accident.

Works

Demetrios von Phaleron belonged as a philosopher to the Peripatetic school and left numerous writings, none of which have survived. Only a few fragments have survived. Diogenes Laertios provides in the 5th book (chapters 80 to 81) of his life and teachings of famous philosophers - broken and incomplete - the list of Demetrios' writings. A total of 45 titles of his works are known. These include philosophical writings that deal with ethics and state theory; for example, he wrote an Apology for Socrates . Demetrios also published historical and political works, such as a report on his ten-year governorship of Athens, a chronicle of Athens dubbed the list of archons , in which he presented not only political but also literary history, an historical-antiquarian study of the Athenian legislation, especially that of Solons , as well as a constitutional history of Athens. He also edited some of his speeches and collections of the fables of Aesop and the Proverbs of the Seven Wise Men . Finally, he wrote rhetorical and literary books, in the latter area for example studies on Homer . The important Roman rhetoric teacher Quintilian described Demetrios as the last Attic orator.

The work “On Expression”, which deals with rhetoric, is occasionally attributed to Demetrios; however, it is more likely that it comes from the sophist Demetrios of Alexandria , who lived during the reign of Marcus Aurelius . The rhetorical text De elocutione (Περὶ ἑρμηνείας) certainly did not come from him.

Text editions and translations

literature

Overview representations

Investigations

  • Erich Bayer: Demetrios Phalereus, the Athenian (= Tübingen contributions to ancient studies . 36). Kohlhammer, Stuttgart / Berlin 1942 (At the same time: Tübingen, University, dissertation, 1939; Unchanged reprographic reprint. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 1969).
  • Lara O'Sullivan: The Regime of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens, 317-307 BCE. A Philosopher in Politics (= Mnemosyne . Supplementum. 318). Brill, Leiden / Boston 2009, ISBN 978-90-04-17888-5 (also: Perth, University of Western Australia, dissertation, 2000: The Rule of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens, 317-307 BCE. Standard work).

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ Estimated date of birth according to Demetrios I 4th In: Der Neue Pauly (DNP). Volume 3, Metzler, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-476-01473-8 , column 429.
  2. ^ Edgar Martini: Demetrios 85 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume IV, 2, Stuttgart 1901, Col. 2817-2841 (here: 2817 f.).
  3. ↑ Cicero , De finibus 5, 54; Cicero; De legibus 3, 14; Cicero, De officiis 1, 3; Cicero, Brutus 37; Strabon , Geographika 9, p. 398; Diogenes Laertios , Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 5, 39 and 5, 75.
  4. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 5, 39 and 5, 51.
  5. ^ Hans Rupprecht Goette , Jürgen Hammerstaedt : The ancient Athens. A literary city guide . CH Beck, Munich 2004, ISBN 3-406-51665-3 , p. 215 .
  6. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 5, 79; Dionysius of Halicarnassus , De Dinarcho 2; Pseudo- Plutarch , Vitae decem oratorum 10, 2.
  7. ^ Edgar Martini: Demetrios 85 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume IV, 2, Stuttgart 1901, Col. 2817-2841 (here: 2819).
  8. ↑ Fragment of Ctesikles in Athenaios , Deipnosophistai 6, 272 c.
  9. ^ Edgar Martini: Demetrios 85 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume IV, 2, Stuttgart 1901, Col. 2817-2841 (here: 2823-2828).
  10. ↑ a b Demetrios 4th In: Der Neue Pauly (DNP). Volume 3, Metzler, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-476-01473-8 , column 430.
  11. ↑ Duris of Samos at Athenaios, Deipnosophistai 12, 542 c.
  12. ^ Edgar Martini: Demetrios 85 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume IV, 2, Stuttgart 1901, Col. 2817-2841 (here: 2823 f).
  13. ↑ Diodor, Bibliothḗkē historikḗ 20, 27, 1.
  14. ↑ Duris of Samos at Athenaios, Deipnosophistai 12, 542 e.
  15. ^ Diogenes Laertios, Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 5, 77.
  16. ^ Edgar Martini: Demetrios 85 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume IV, 2, Stuttgart 1901, Col. 2817-2841 (here: 2822).
  17. ↑ Diodor, Bibliothḗkē historikḗ 20, 45; Plutarch, Demetrios 8, 3 - 9, 2.
  18. ↑ Plutarch, Moralia 69 c.
  19. ↑ Diodor, Bibliothḗkē historikḗ 20, 45, 4; Hermippos in Diogenes Laertios, life and teachings of famous philosophers 5, 78 ff .; Strabon, Geographika 8, 398; Claudius Aelianus , Varia historia 3, 17.
  20. ^ Claudius Aelianus, Varia historia 3, 17.
  21. ^ Cicero, De finibus 5, 19.
  22. ^ So Cicero, Pro C. Rabirio Postumo 23.
  23. ↑ So Hermogenes in Diogenes Laertios, Life and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 5, 78.
  24. ↑ Collected by Fritz Wehrli , Die Schule des Aristoteles, 4, 1949.
  25. ^ Collection of the preserved fragments of the historical writings of Demetrios by Felix Jacoby , The Fragments of the Greek Historians (FGrH) No. 228.
  26. ^ Edgar Martini: Demetrios 85 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume IV, 2, Stuttgart 1901, Col. 2817-2841 (here: 2828-2837).
  27. ^ Quintilian, Institutio oratoria 10, 1, 80.
  28. ↑ Published a. a. in the 9th part of the "Rhetores graeci" by Walz, Stuttgart 1836. Cf. Ostermann, De Demetrii Phalerei vita etc. (2 parts, Hersfeld 1847 and Fulda 1857)
  29. ↑ Martini, Sp. 2839-2841 and Wilhelm Kroll : Rhetorik. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Supplementary volume VII, Stuttgart 1940, Col. 1077-1080. First modern critical edition by Ludwig Radermacher (Leipzig 1901); then more often. An edition by Hugo Rabe, edited by Paulheinz Ahlert and Radermacher, was the victim of a bomb attack during World War II.
personal data
SURNAME Demetrios of Phaleron
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Demetrios Phalereus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient Greek philosopher and politician
DATE OF BIRTH around 360 BC Chr.
PLACE OF BIRTH Phaleron
DATE OF DEATH around 280 BC Chr.
Place of death Upper Egypt