The Regime of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens, 317–307
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Th e Regime of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens, 317–307 BCE Mnemosyne Supplements History and Archaeology of Classical Antiquity Edited by Susan E. Alcock, Brown University Th omas Harrison, Liverpool Willem M. Jongman, Groningen H.S. Versnel, Leiden VOLUME 318 Th e Regime of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens, 317–307 BCE A Philosopher in Politics By Lara O’Sullivan LEIDEN • BOSTON 2009 On the cover: Detail of the Parthenon. Photo: Author. Th is book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data O’Sullivan, Lara. Th e rule of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens, 317-307 B.C. : a philosopher in politics / by Lara O’Sullivan. p. cm. — (Mnemosyne supplements. History and archaeology of classical antiquity, ISSN 0169-8958 ; v. 318) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-90-04-17888-5 (hbk. : alk. paper) 1. Demetrius, of Phaleron, b. ca. 350 B.C. 2. Demetrius, of Phaleron, b. ca. 350 B.C.—Political and social views. 3. Governors—Greece—Athens—Biography. 4. Statesmen—Greece—Athens— Biography. 5. Orators—Greece—Athens—Biography. 6. Philosophers, Ancient— Biography. 7. Athens (Greece)—Politics and government. 8. Philosophy, Ancient. 9. Athens (Greece)—Relations—Macedonia. 10. Macedonia—Relations—Greece— Athens. I. Title. II. Series. DF235.48.D455O87 2009 938’.508092—dc22 [B] 2009033560 ISSN 0169-8958 ISBN 978 90 04 17888 5 Copyright 2009 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, Th e Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. 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Fees are subject to change. printed in the netherlands CONTENTS List of Illustrations ............................................................................ vii Preface ................................................................................................. ix List of Abbreviations ......................................................................... xi Introduction ........................................................................................ 1 Chapter One Th e Background to the Regime: Demetrius of Phalerum’s Early Years ................................................................. 9 1.1 Th e years in obscurity: the reigns of Philip, Alexander and the age of Lycurgus ..................................................... 9 1.2 Demetrius’ rise to prominence: Athens aft er Alexander 21 1.3 Th e decade of Demetrius: some introductory observations .......................................................................... 43 Chapter Two Demetrius the Law-giver: the Moral Programme ..................................................................................... 45 2.1 Burial laws ............................................................................. 47 2.2 Th e gunaikonomoi and their laws ..................................... 66 2.3 Th e nomophulakes ............................................................... 72 2.4 Demetrius and the ephêbeia ............................................... 86 2.5 Th e laws: an interpretation and discussion of the historical context .................................................................. 90 Chapter Th ree Th e Institutions of Democracy .......................... 105 3.1 Th e citizen body ................................................................... 108 3.2 Th e assembly and council .................................................. 116 3.3 Elections and the archonship ............................................ 131 3.4 Jurisdiction in the courts: the graphê paranomôn and eisangelia ............................................................................... 138 3.5 Th e Areopagus ...................................................................... 147 3.6 Th e Athenian Institutions: a summary ............................ 159 Chapter Four Festivals and Finances: Th e Economic Administration of Athens ............................................................ 165 4.1 Demetrius and the khorêgeia ........................................... 168 4.2 Th e other liturgies .............................................................. 185 4.3 Th e Athenian economy, 317–307 ..................................... 189 vi contents Chapter Five Philosophy and the Phalerean Regime ............... 197 5.1 Demetrius’ laws and the Peripatos ................................... 197 5.2 Th e philosophical schools and political calumny ........... 204 5.3 Demetrius: orator, Peripatetic and patron of philosophers .......................................................................... 226 Chapter Six Athens and Cassander ............................................. 241 6.1 Th e years 317–307: a narrative history ............................ 241 6.2 Athenian foreign policy under Demetrius of Phalerum 278 Chapter Seven Conclusion ............................................................ 289 Appendices 1. Th e Literary sources for the regime of Demetrius ............. 305 2. Gunaikonomoi & nomophulakes—a comparison ............... 312 3. Th e duties of the gunaikonomoi: a rejected suggestion ..... 315 Works Cited ........................................................................................ 319 Index locorum .................................................................................... 335 General index ..................................................................................... 337 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Hellenistic columellae in the Keramikos .................................. 53 2. Th e grave naiskos of Aristonautes ............................................. 60 3. Th e ‘Kallithea Monument’ of Niceratus of Istria .................... 61 4. Th e khoregic monument of Nicias ............................................ 179 PREFACE Th is book has its origins in my doctoral dissertation undertaken at the University of Western Australia under the aegis of Brian Bosworth. An exacting teacher and a formidable scholar, Brian introduced his students to the joys and challenges of Hellenistic history, and bequeathed to us a model of methodology and scholarly integrity that this cur- rent project can only aspire to imitate. My debt to his teaching will be life long. Th is book could not have been brought to completion without the continued support of University of Western Australia, whose ongo- ing commitment to the study of Classics in these straitened economic times is to be much lauded. Th eir generous award of a postdoctoral fellowship made it possible for me to re-enter academia aft er a spell of ‘family duties,’ and has given me the facilities to transform the original dissertation into a more coherent book; a travel grant from this same institution has enabled me to investigate at fi rst hand the material remains of Demetrius of Phalerum’s world. To my colleagues there, both past and present—and here I must name in particular Norman Ashton, and Pat Wheatley for many long and stimulating discus- sions over the years about ‘his’ Demetrius (Poliorcetes) and ‘mine’ (the Phalerean)—my heartfelt thanks; they have fostered a collegiality conducive to scholarship in one of the most geographically isolated Classics departments in the world. In this context, a word of thanks is due too the University’s library staff , who do much to overcome this ‘tyranny of distance.’ Th e transition from doctoral dissertation to monograph is never an easy task, and it is one that has benefi ted greatly from the experienced advice and sage critiques of many readers; the early guidance of Erich Gruen deserves special acknowledgement here. I owe a particular debt of gratitude too to Caroline van Erp at Brill, for her good humour and grace while steering the manuscript through the publication process. A very personal debt of thanks must go to my family. My hus- band Neil has been both my toughest critic and my most supportive reader; my daughters, Sophia and Helena, have been endlessly patient and have been forced to know more of Hellenistic Athens than may x preface reasonably be expected of two ladies so young. Finally, this book, and the doctoral dissertation from which it grew, would not have been possible without my mother, Helen Knott, whose unstinting support made it possible to manage the competing demands of research and motherhood. Th is book is dedicated to her. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Agora XV Meritt, Bejamin D. and John S. Traill. 1974. Th e Athen- ian Agora. Results of Excavations Conducted by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, XV. Inscriptions: Th e Athenian Councillors. Princeton, N.J.: American School of Classical Studies. Agora XVI Woodhead, Arthur G. 1997. Th e Athenian Agora. Results of Excavations Conducted by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, XVI. Inscrip- tions: Th e Decrees. Princeton, N.J.: American School of Classical Studies. Clairmont CAT Clairmont, Christoph W. 1993–95. Classical Attic Tombstones 1–6. Kilchberg: Akanthus Verlag für Achäologie. FGrHist Jacoby, Felix. 1923–58. Die Fragmente der griechi- schen Historiker. 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