Leon of Byzantium

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Leon of Byzantium († around 339 BC, no later than 336 BC in Byzantium ) was a Greek politician and philosopher of the 4th century BC. He was a student of Plato and supported Athens in the fight against Philip II of Macedonia .

Leon, whose father was also called Leon, came from Byzantion on the Bosporus , later Constantinople . He attended Plato's Academy in Athens and was known as a quick-witted speaker. The Athenian general and politician Phokion , who had attended the academy at the same time, was one of his friends.

When Leon's hometown, of which he was one of the leading politicians, allied with Athens against Philip of Macedonia, he went there as envoy. Philip besieged Byzantium 340/339 BC BC, but the city successfully resisted under Leon's leadership and also took on the Athenian fleet commanded by Phocion.

An anecdote tells of Leon's death: After Philip of Macedonia broke off the siege of Byzantion, he claimed that Leon only defended the city because Philip had not accepted his high monetary demands. When angry citizens gathered in front of Leon's house, he killed himself to avoid being stoned to death . In recent research it is assumed that the anecdotal account of Leon's death was a crude slander, because the Byzantians had no reason to believe their opponent Philip more than their highly respected Leon. It is possible, however, that the Byzantians in 337 BC Made peace with Philip and that Leon was killed in this context as an opponent of the king.

Several historical works and the pseudo-Platonic dialogue Halcyon have been attributed to Leon, probably wrongly . The attribution of the historical works is based on Leon's controversial identification with a historian of the same name and student of Aristotle .

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Remarks

  1. ↑ Origin and name of the father: Suda , keyword Λέων , Adler number: Lambda 265 , Suda-Online .
  2. ↑ Examples of Leon's quick-wittedness: Philostratos , life descriptions of the Sophists 1,2 ; Suda , keyword Λέων , Adler number: Lambda 265 , Suda-Online .
  3. ^ Visit of the academy and friendship with Phokion: Plutarch , Phokion 14,4 .
  4. ^ Leon as envoy in Athens: Philostratus , life descriptions of the Sophists 1,2 ; Suda , keyword Λέων , Adler number: Lambda 265 , Suda-Online .
  5. ↑ Siege of Byzantion and reception of Phocion: Plutarch , Phokion 14,4 :
  6. ↑ Filip's allegation of corruption and suicide for fear of punishment: Suda , keyword Λέων , Adler number: Lambda 265 , Suda-Online . On the question of credibility see Kai Trampedach: Plato, the Academy and contemporary politics. Stuttgart 1994, p. 99 f.
  7. ↑ See the discussion in Halcyon and Ernst Bux : Leon 23). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XII, 2, Stuttgart 1925, Sp. 2008–2012. For identification with the historian, see Kai Trampedach: Plato, the Academy and Contemporary Politics. Stuttgart 1994, p. 99 f .; Fritz Wehrli among others: The Peripatos until the beginning of the Roman Empire. In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy . The philosophy of antiquity. Volume 3: Older Academy - Aristotle - Peripatos. 2nd Edition. Basel 2004, pp. 493–666, here: 566.
personal data
SURNAME Leon of Byzantium
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greek politician and philosopher
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century BC BC or 4th century BC Chr.
PLACE OF BIRTH Byzantium
DATE OF DEATH around 339 BC Chr.
Place of death Byzantium