Ephialtes († 334 BC)

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Ephialtes ( Greek  Ἐφιάλτης ; † autumn 334 BC before Halicarnassus ) was an Athenian politician and general.

Life

In Athens Ephialtes belonged to the anti-Macedonian faction around the rhetor Demosthenes , on whose behalf he was in 341/340 BC. For secret negotiations at the court of the Persian great king Artaxerxes III. traveled. Although he failed to form a formal alliance with the great king, he received funds from him for the fight against Philip II of Macedonia , which he was able to distribute among his followers in Athens.

Ephialtes apparently continued to play an important role in Athenian politics. After the fall of Thebes in 335 BC In BC Alexander the Great demanded the extradition of ten prominent, anti-Macedonian politicians of Athens, among whom was Ephialtes. However , an Athenian embassy led by Phokion and Demades managed to get Alexander no longer to insist on his demand.

Nevertheless, Ephialtes and his like-minded fellow Thrasybulus immediately went into Persian service and belonged with this 334 BC. As a commander of a Greek mercenary troop, he joined the staff of Memnon , who led the Persian army against the beginning of the Alexanderzug . In the defense of Halicarnassus , Ephialtes distinguished himself through high courage, physical strength and leadership qualities. He wanted to refuse to bury the fallen Macedonian warriors, but Memnon allowed it. Then Ephialtes advised venturing out, which proposal was accepted. With 2000 selected mercenaries, he took a leading part in the fighting that broke out and was initially successful until Macedonian veterans turned the tide. In the decisive battle in front of the city wall, he was finally killed.

Ephialtes was described by Deinarchus , whether wrongly or consciously, as a personal enemy of Demosthenes, in fact his death was mourned by Demosthenes.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Plutarch , Moralia 847f – 848a = Vitae decem oratorum 8. For the alliance negotiations between Athens and Persia see Demosthenes , third speech against Philip (9), 71 and fourth speech against Philip (10), 31–34.
  2. ↑ Arrian , Anabasis 1, 10, 4; Plutarch , Demosthenes 23, 4; Phocion 17, 4.
  3. ↑ Diodorus 17, 25, 6 and 26, 2.
  4. ↑ Diodor 17, 26, 1ff.
  5. ↑ Diodorus 17, 27, 3.
  6. ↑ Deinarchus , Speech against Demosthenes (1), 33; Demosthenes Epistoale 3, 31st
personal data
SURNAME Ephialtes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greek politician and general in ancient Athens
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 334 BC Chr.
Place of death Halicarnassus