Outline for 3/3
Athens in the Age of Alexander and the Successors

 

I. Lamian War ( 323 BCE) (Austin nos. 23, 26)

A. Athens 338-325/4 BC

1. agreement with Philip
2. Lycurgus (influential 338-325/4 BC)

B. Decree Calling for the Return of the Exiles (324 BCE)

1. Athens and Samos

C. Harpalus
D. Rumors of Alexander's Death

1. Phocion and Demades (moderates)
2. Hyperides and the "War Party"
3. Leosthenes

E. Eyewitness Reports of Alexander's Death (September 323 BCE)

1. Athenian Assembly votes for war
2. Leosthenes as general

F. 324/3 BCE Lamian War
G. Consequences

1. Hellenic League broken up
2. Athens' arrangements with Antipater

II. Timocracy and the Peripatetic Demetrius of Phaleron (317-307 BC)

A. Athenian Constitution after the Lamian War
B. Polyperchon's Amnesty Decree and a Return to Democracy (318/7 BC)

1. Honors for Euphron of Sicyon, 318/7 BC (Austin 26)
  • 323/2 Battle of Lamia: Euphron (and all Sicyon) fought for the Greek cause
  • 322 Athenian democracy honored him
  • 322-318 Athenian oligarchs deprived Euphron of his honors and destroyed the stele
  • 318/317 Athenian democracy briefly restored in the amnesty decree of Polyperchon restores Euphron's honors

C. Demetrius of Phaleron ("tyrant" of Athens 317/6-307/6 BC)

1. father Phanostratus a peripatetic philosopher
2. author of a law code
a. gynaikonomoi

D. Ancient Assessments of Demetrius of Phaleron (Austin no. 23 )

III. The 'Liberation' of Athens (307 BCE) (Plutarch, Demetrius 8-14)

A. Background (Antigonus' plan)
B. The 'Liberation' of Athens according to Pausanias (307 BC)
C. Athenian Honors from Demetrius
D. 4-Years War (against Cassander) (306-302 BC)
E. Athens after Ipsus

1. Lachares (Athenian friend of Cassander, makes himself tyrant)

IV. Demetrius Poliorcetes and Athens (294-287 BC)

A. Introduction

1. sources largely negative (e.g. Plutarch Demetrius ch. 46)
2. chronology
a. Delian archons
b. Seleucid era
i. Babylon: from March-April 311 BC
ii. Syria: from October 312 BC

B. The Return of Demetrius

1. democrats in opposition to Lachares call in Demetrius
2. Demetrius occupies Peiraieus, Eleusis, Rhamnous and blockades Athens (295 BC)
3. Athens surrenders (spring 294 BC)
4. Athens
a. labels "democrat" and "oligarch" lose meaning

V. Liberation (287/6 BC)

A. The Liberation of Athens from Demetrius (287 BC)

1. autumn 289 BC Demetrius begins to plan to reconquer Asia
2. coalition of Lysimachus, Ptolemy and Seleucus is revived and they drive him out of Macedonia
3. Demetrius fled to the Peloponnese
4. early spring 287 BC revolt against Demetrius begins
a. Olympiodorus (Athenian general)

5. characteristic institutions of the democracy immediately restored

a. Demochares (Athenian "Nationalist")
b. democracy survives for 20 years

6. Peace Conference (fall 287 BC)

B. The End of Demetrius

1. Demetrius immediately sets out for Asia in 287 BC
2. Antigonus Gonatas, son of Demetrius, left as governor in Greece
3. Athenian "Nationalists" prepare to remove Macedonian garrisons from Attica
4. Athenian harbors are blockaded
5. Athenian elite
a. appeal to their monarch friends for support
b. use their own wealth for their city and fellow citizens

VI. Athens Honors her Benefactors

A. Decree for Kallias (Austin 44)