Description
Demosthenes (384 BC – 322 BC) is generally considered the greatest of the Attic orators, and thus the greatest of all Ancient Greek orators. His writings provide an insight into the life and culture of Athens at this period of time. He is best-known for his Philippic Orations, urging the populace to rise up and defend their country against Philip II of Macedon, who was steadily gaining power and territory for the Macedonian state. During the reign of Philip’s son Alexander, Demosthenes was quiet, but as soon as the young Macedonian king died in Babylon, Demosthenes once again stirred Greece to rebel. The Macedonians were expelled from Greece, but they returned with reinforcments and defeated the Greek army in what was known to be the “Lamian” or Hellenic War for freedom. All the Greek leaders were executed by the Macedonian general Antipater but Demosthenes took poison rather than face capture and punishment. Years later, when the Macedonians will again be expelled from Athens, the Greeks would erect a statue in honor of their hero. Its inscription read:”If thy strength had only been equal to thy purposes, Demosthenes, never would the Greeks have been ruled by a Macedonian Ares”
