{"slug": "demosthenes", "label": "Demosthenes", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demosthenes", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117253", "qid": "Q117253", "description": "classical Athenian statesman and orator (384–322 BC)", "entries": 19, "years": 18, "span": [-383, 1504], "span_label": ["384 BCE", "1504 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 6}, {"title": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "count": 5}, {"title": "Crime & Justice", "count": 4}, {"title": "Births", "count": 1}, {"title": "Religion & Belief", "count": 1}, {"title": "Deaths", "count": 1}, {"title": "Culture & Society", "count": 1}], "related": [{"slug": "athens", "label": "Athens", "shared": 12}, {"slug": "macedon", "label": "Macedon", "shared": 5}, {"slug": "philip-ii-of-macedon", "label": "Philip II of Macedon", "shared": 4}, {"slug": "thebes-greece", "label": "Thebes, Greece", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "peloponnesus", "label": "Peloponnesus", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "alexander-the-great", "label": "Alexander the Great", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "susa", "label": "Susa", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "thessaly", "label": "Thessaly", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "peloponnese", "label": "Peloponnese", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "thrace", "label": "Thrace", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "thracian-chersonese", "label": "Thracian Chersonese", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "ancient-corinth", "label": "Ancient Corinth", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": -383, "year_label": "384 BCE", "section": "Births", "date": null, "text": "Demosthenes, Greek statesman and orator (d. 322 BC)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1209990210#Births", "title": "384 BC", "revid": 1209990210, "section": "Births"}}, {"year": -350, "year_label": "351 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Demosthenes tries to get the Athenians to cease depending on paid mercenaries and return to the old concept of a citizen army. He also delivers his First Philippic, warning Athenians of the folly of believing that Philip's ill health will save Athens from the Macedonians. In response, Athens' citizens vote for increased armaments.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1325759360#Greece", "title": "351 BC", "revid": 1325759360, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -346, "year_label": "347 BCE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "In the wake of the Macedonian victory at Olynthus, Athens seeks to make peace with Macedonia. Because his financial policy is based on the assumption that Athens should not be involved in major wars, the Athenian leader, Eubulus, works for peace with Philip II of Macedon. Demosthenes is among those who support a compromise.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1326556206#Greece", "title": "347 BC", "revid": 1326556206, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -345, "year_label": "346 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "The Athenian politicians, Demosthenes and Timarchus, prepare to prosecute Aeschines for treason after he has sought to reconcile the Athenians to Macedonia's expansion into Greece. Eubulus loses his influence on Athenian affairs.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1299130958#Greece", "title": "346 BC", "revid": 1299130958, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -344, "year_label": "345 BCE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Supported by Thebes and Thessaly, Macedonia takes over Phocis' votes in the Amphictyonic League, a Greek religious organisation formed to support the greater temples of Apollo and Demeter. Despite some reluctance on the part of the Athenian leaders, Athens finally accepts Philip II's entry into the Council of the League. The Athenian statesman Demosthenes is among those who recommend this stance in his oration On the Peace.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367114110#Greece", "title": "345 BC", "revid": 1367114110, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -343, "year_label": "344 BCE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "The Athenian statesman, Demosthenes, travels to Peloponnesus, in order to detach as many cities as possible from Macedon's influence, but his efforts are generally unsuccessful. Most of the Peloponnesians see Philip II as the guarantor of their freedom, so they send a joint embassy to Athens to express their grievances against Demosthenes' activities. In response to these complaints, Demosthenes delivers the Second Philippic, which is a vehement attack against Philip II.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1354172872#Greece", "title": "344 BC", "revid": 1354172872, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -342, "year_label": "343 BCE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": null, "text": "The Athenian statesman Demosthenes has Aeschines indicted for treason. However, Aeschines drags up the inappropriate past of one of Demosthenes' associates, Timarchus and is acquitted by a narrow margin.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1354172730#Greece", "title": "343 BC", "revid": 1354172730, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -341, "year_label": "342 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Philip begins a series of campaigns in Thrace with the aim of annexing it to be a province of Macedonia. When the Macedonian army approaches Thracian Chersonese (the Gallipoli Peninsula), an Athenian general named Diopeithes ravages this district of Thrace, thus inciting Philip's rage for operating too near one of his towns in the Chersonese. Philip demands his recall. In response, the Athenian Assembly is convened. Demosthenes convinces the Athenians not to recall Diopeithes.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1209992354#Macedonia", "title": "342 BC", "revid": 1209992354, "section": "Events › By place › Macedonia"}}, {"year": -340, "year_label": "341 BCE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Demosthenes delivers his Third Philippic. In it, he demands resolute action against Philip II. Demosthenes now dominates Athenian politics and is able to considerably weaken the pro-Macedonian faction led by Aeschines. As a result, Demosthenes becomes controller of the Athenian navy.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1210197654#Greece", "title": "341 BC", "revid": 1210197654, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -339, "year_label": "340 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "The Athenians give Demosthenes a public vote of thanks after Philip's unsuccessful siege of Byzantium.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1239354213#Greece", "title": "340 BC", "revid": 1239354213, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -337, "year_label": "338 BCE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Athens arranges an alliance with Euboea, Megara, Achaea, Corinth, Acarnania and some other states in the Peloponnesus. However, the most desirable ally for Athens is Thebes. Therefore, the Athenian leader, Demosthenes, goes to the Boeotian city and secures an alliance with Thebes despite the efforts of a Macedonian deputation to persuade Thebes to join with Macedonia. In return, Athens agrees to Thebes controlling Boeotia, Thebes being in command solely on land and jointly at sea, and Athens paying two thirds of the campaign's cost.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1354172728#Macedonia", "title": "338 BC", "revid": 1354172728, "section": "Events › By place › Macedonia"}}, {"year": -335, "year_label": "336 BCE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": null, "text": "Aeschines brings a suit against Ctesiphon for illegally proposing the award of a crown to the Athenian leader Demosthenes in recognition of his services to Athens.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1354172867#Macedonia", "title": "336 BC", "revid": 1354172867, "section": "Events › By place › Macedonia"}}, {"year": -334, "year_label": "335 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "The admiration of Alexander for the Athenian orator and diplomat, Demades, leads the conqueror to treat Athens leniently despite its involvement in the rebellion. A special Athenian embassy led by Phocion, an opponent of the anti-Macedonian faction, is able to persuade Alexander to give up his demand for the exile of the leaders of the anti-Macedonian party, particularly Demosthenes.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=996420033#Greece", "title": "335 BC", "revid": 996420033, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -329, "year_label": "330 BCE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": null, "text": "Aeschines continues to try to prevent Demosthenes from being awarded a golden crown for his services to Athens. The case, which has begun in 336 BC, finally concludes with the overwhelming defeat of Aeschines, largely because of Demosthenes' brilliant speech for Ctesiphon (On the Crown).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1326554346#Macedonia", "title": "330 BC", "revid": 1326554346, "section": "Events › By place › Macedonia"}}, {"year": -323, "year_label": "324 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Alexander the Great's treasurer, Harpalus, fearing arrest, flees from Susa to Athens. On arriving in Athens, he is imprisoned by the Athenians after a proposal of Demosthenes and Phocion, despite Hypereides' opposition, who wanted an immediate uprising against Alexander. Harpalus brings with him considerable wealth collected from the spoils of Alexander's conquest of Asia. This money is entrusted to a committee led by Demosthenes.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1242939237#Greece", "title": "324 BC", "revid": 1242939237, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -322, "year_label": "323 BCE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Following Alexander the Great's death, the Athenians recall Demosthenes from exile and provide the money to pay his fine.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1311163255#Greece", "title": "323 BC", "revid": 1311163255, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -321, "year_label": "322 BCE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": null, "text": "The Athenian orator and diplomat, Demades, regains his citizenship so that he and Phocion can negotiate a peace with Antipater, thus concluding the Lamian War. Before setting out he persuades the citizens of Athens to pass the death sentence upon Demosthenes and his followers (including Hypereides, leader of the Athenian patriotic party). Demades' embassy results in a peace disadvantageous to the Athenians, with the Athenians forced to accept the occupation of Athens' port, Piraeus, by the Macedonians.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1316405653#Greece", "title": "322 BC", "revid": 1316405653, "section": "Events › By place › Greece"}}, {"year": -321, "year_label": "322 BCE", "section": "Deaths", "date": "October 12", "text": "October 12 – Demosthenes, Athenian statesman, recognized as the greatest of ancient Greek orators (b. 384 BC)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1316405653#Deaths", "title": "322 BC", "revid": 1316405653, "section": "Deaths"}}, {"year": 1504, "year_label": "1504 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": null, "text": "Aldus Manutius publishes his edition of Demosthenes in Venice.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365936803#Date_unknown", "title": "1504", "revid": 1365936803, "section": "Events › Date unknown"}}]}