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Theramenes

Background

Theramenes was a prominent Athenian statesman and general during the late 5th century BCE, known for his political pragmatism and involvement in several critical events in Athenian history. His career spanned a turbulent period marked by the Peloponnesian War, the fall of the Athenian Empire, and the internal conflicts that followed.

Key Aspects of Theramenes' Life

1. Early Life and Background:

   • Theramenes was born around 455 BCE. He belonged to the upper class of Athenian society and was well-educated, which equipped him for a career in politics and military affairs.

2. Role in the Peloponnesian War:

   • Oligarchic Coup of 411 BCE: During the Peloponnesian War, Theramenes played a crucial role in the oligarchic revolution of 411 BCE, which overthrew the democratic government of Athens and established the short-lived oligarchy of the Four Hundred. However, he later distanced himself from the more extreme elements of the oligarchy and supported its replacement with a broader-based government of the Five Thousand.

3. Battle of Cyzicus (410 BCE):

   • Theramenes served as a general in the Athenian navy and participated in the Battle of Cyzicus, where the Athenian fleet achieved a significant victory over the Spartans. This victory temporarily restored Athenian naval dominance.

4. Political Maneuvering:

   • Theramenes was known for his political flexibility and pragmatism, often shifting his allegiances to adapt to changing circumstances. This earned him both praise and criticism from his contemporaries, who viewed him as either a shrewd statesman or an opportunistic politician.

5. The Rule of the Thirty Tyrants:

   • Establishment of the Thirty: After Athens' defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 404 BCE, Theramenes was involved in negotiating the city's surrender to Sparta. He subsequently became a member of the Thirty Tyrants, an oligarchic regime imposed by the Spartans to govern Athens.
   • Conflict with Critias: Theramenes soon found himself at odds with the more extreme faction within the Thirty, led by Critias. Theramenes opposed the harsh measures and purges implemented by Critias, advocating for more moderate policies.

6. Execution and Legacy:

   • Downfall: Theramenes' opposition to the extreme policies of Critias and his faction led to his arrest and execution in 404 BCE. He was condemned without a trial, forced to drink hemlock, and died defending his principles.
   • Historical Perception: Theramenes' legacy is complex. Ancient historians such as Xenophon and Diodorus Siculus provide accounts of his life, highlighting his political acumen and the controversies surrounding his actions. While some viewed him as a traitor and opportunist, others saw him as a pragmatic leader who sought to balance the extremes of his time.

Legacy

Theramenes is remembered as a significant and controversial figure in Athenian history. His involvement in key events during a period of intense political and military turmoil demonstrates his adaptability and influence. Despite his pragmatic approach, which often led to shifting allegiances, his efforts to temper the excesses of both democratic and oligarchic rule reveal his underlying commitment to moderation and stability. His execution marked the end of his complex and impactful career, leaving a lasting impression on the historical record of ancient Athens.

Sources

Sources.—The Constitution of Athens with its numerous documents affords much valuable knowledge, but does not give the inner history of 411. Thucydides viii. supplies this, but his knowledge of the constitutional side of the revolution and of Theramenes' activity is somewhat fragmentary. Xenophon (Hellenica, i., ii.) was an eye-witness in 406-403, but is clearly inaccurate in his details and prejudiced throughout. Lysias (c. Eratosth. and c. Agorat.) gives an avowedly hostile account of Theramenes. Diodorus xiii., xiv., goes too far in making Theramenes a pure democrat. See also Plutarch, Cicero, chap. 59; Cicero, de Oratore, iii. 16, 59; Wilamowitz-Möellendorff, Aristoteles und Athen (Berlin and Leipzig, 1893), ii. p. 113 sqq.; E. Meyer, Forschungen zur alten Geschichte (Halle, 1899), ii. pp. 406 sqq.; B. Perrin in American Historical Review, ix. (1904), pp. 649-69.

1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 26. pg. 792-793.