Ergocles

Ergocles ( Greek  Ἐργοκλῆς ) was in the Peloponnesian War (431 BC to 404 BC) and then a comrade in arms of the Athenian democratic people's leader Thrasybulus (* around 440 BC; † 388 BC).

Thrasybulus made great contributions to democracy in Athens on various occasions , including when he was promoted by Phyle in 403 BC. Organized the resistance against the thirty tyrants and the oligarchic system they established .

Later, when he was assigned to his hometown on important missions as a general abroad, he not only successfully raised funds for military purposes, but also enriched himself and his cronies while running down the public assets entrusted to him. Ergocles helped him with these crimes and other acts of violence. Most recently both were used in the " Corinthian War " (394–387 BC). In 390/389 Thrasybulus and Ergocles were joint strategists (generals) for Athens. In order to avoid punishment for their crimes, Ergocles is said to have advised his friend Thrasybulus to marry a daughter of the Thracian prince Seuthes in order to build up an independent power that he could use against Athens if necessary. This treasonous plan, reported by the rhetor Lysias , was no longer carried out because Thrasybulus, who was collecting money near Aspendos , was there - as the historian Xenophon narrates - in 388 BC. Was slain by residents who were bitter about the looting of his soldiers. His body was brought to Athens and honored buried there.

Ergocles complied with the request of the people's assembly in Athens to give an account of his conduct of office and faced the court, apparently in the conviction that he could buy the court for himself through generous bribes, which he had distributed through his helper Philocrates. He was charged with "having made a fortune in excess of 30 talents through the dishonest administration of public affairs," a huge amount by the standards of the day.

Although he himself was close to the democratic party, the famous rhetor Lysias, who had long been a staunch opponent of Thrasybulus and his machinations, wrote the indictment speech against Ergocles (Speech XXVIII). In this speech he admits that Thrasybulus and Ergocles, as militant democrats, may have made great contributions to the state in the past, but shows that both have unlawfully enriched themselves through their later behavior with the people. The arguments of Lysias seem to have impressed the judges so much that despite all the bribes (allegedly ten percent of his fortune) they convicted Ergocles and after the trial, which probably took place in 388 BC. Took place, executed. Philocrates, who was accused of having stolen a large part of Ergocles' property in order to avoid expropriation, had to answer in a separate process.

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• Lysias: Against Ergocles . (Speech XXVIII).
• Lysias: Against Philocrates . (Speech XXIX).
• Xenophon: Hellenika . (IV 8. 25ff.)