Nicomachus (State Secretary)

Nicomachus ( Greek  Νικόμαχος ) was the son of a slave who had risen in classical Athens towards the end of the Peloponnesian War (431 - 404 BC) from simple text copyist to state clerk and citizen of Athens and indirectly great due to his legal falsifications in a politically sensitive phase Gained influence. After the end of the rule of the Thirty Tyrants , whom he had actively supported, he was tried and (probably) 399 BC. . Chr executed .

Originally, according to the description of the famous rhetor Lysias in his speech “Against Nicomachus”, Nicomachus was commissioned to copy the Laws of Solon in four months. However, he knew how to extend this activity to a total of six years, using various pretexts, and received daily pay. Since he was also prepared to manipulate legal texts against bribery, he soon seems to have made himself indispensable, especially to the oligarchic party in Athens, which recognized here a means to get rid of political opponents. By falsifying the law, Nicomachus brought about the oligarchic overthrow of 404 BC. Because they made certain political processes possible, which were primarily directed against democratic politicians.

As Lysias describes, the oligarchic politicians Chremon and Satyros had great influence in the popular assembly. With the help of the falsifications of the law produced by the Nicomachus they had bought, they achieved that this assembly was also allowed to make decisions in judicial matters. In this way they succeeded in convicting and executing not only the democratic politician Kleophon , who was hated by the Athenian oligarchs for his persistent resistance to peace with Sparta , but also many respected citizens who stood in the way of the oligarchical system. (Lysias mentions Strombichides and Calliades in particular ).

As a result of the falsification of the law, situations arose in which opposing parties invoked different legal texts, which they nevertheless had all received from Nicomachus. Through his manipulations, Nicomachus became an indirect legislator in a delicate phase of political development in Athens. It was apparently difficult to stop his goings-on, because Lysias reports that even after the head of the city ( Archon ) imposed a fine, he did not hand over the legal texts and thus brought the city into great trouble. He knew how to avoid being accountable and could only be compelled to do so through his impeachment. This behavior of Nicomachus as a subordinate person is only conceivable if he also had political backing (e.g. from those politicians who profited from his falsification of the law).

Despite his good connections with the oligarchic party, Nicomachus seems to have been abroad for some time during the short-lived rule of the thirty due to an exile (or so he claimed himself afterwards). After the collapse of tyranny in 403 BC Then he first returned to his office and continued to work for a long time until he was removed from office and (probably) 399 BC. BC was brought to justice. The lawsuit against him was likely successful and he was sentenced to death .

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• Xenophon : Hellenika (Book I. 7. § 35).
• Lysias: Speeches against Agoratus (XIII.) And Against Nicomachus (XXX.)