Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Demosthenes was, arguably, the best rhetoritician and speaker Athens ever produced. His "Philippics" (against Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great) would later inspire no less than Cicero. His skill has, however, sometimes led to his beatification, wearing the "white hat" against Philip in the "black hat." A defender of democracy against rising autocracy--an especially potent parallel in our current climate. But was he all that?
Here, I look at what Demosthenes was really doing as well as the truth of Athenian *imperialism*, and the political rhetoric (in which Demosthenes excelled) that painted Philip of Macedon as a tyrant threatening Athenian freedom (not a Macedonian king with different plans).
Demosthenes was, ultimately, serving himself (and Athenian dominion), not democracy.
Ancient texts referenced:
Demosthenes's Philippics (3 speeches with a disputed 4th)
Cicero's Philippicae (14 speeches)
Modern books:
WAR, PEACE, AND ALLIANCE IN DEMOSTHENES' ATHENS (Peter Hunt): I recommend this book. Peter gets at a lot of the sheer complexity.
DEMOSTHENES: DEMOCRACY'S DEFENDER (James Romm): note that I use this primarily for the title. I explicitly state I have not read the book and this video is *not* a review of the book, or even a comment on it (beyond the title). It was a springboard to the topic.
Demosthenes was, arguably, the best rhetoritician and speaker Athens ever produced. His "Philippics" (against Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great) would later inspire no less than Cicero. His skill has, however, sometimes led to his beatification, wearing the "white hat" against Philip in the "black hat." A defender of democracy against rising autocracy--an especially potent parallel in our current climate. But was he all that?
Here, I look at what Demosthenes was really doing as well as the truth of Athenian *imperialism*, and the political rhetoric (in which Demosthenes excelled) that painted Philip of Macedon as a tyrant threatening Athenian freedom (not a Macedonian king with different plans).
Demosthenes was, ultimately, serving himself (and Athenian dominion), not democracy.
Ancient texts referenced:
Demosthenes's Philippics (3 speeches with a disputed 4th)
Cicero's Philippicae (14 speeches)
Modern books:
WAR, PEACE, AND ALLIANCE IN DEMOSTHENES' ATHENS (Peter Hunt): I recommend this book. Peter gets at a lot of the sheer complexity.
DEMOSTHENES: DEMOCRACY'S DEFENDER (James Romm): note that I use this primarily for the title. I explicitly state I have not read the book and this video is *not* a review of the book, or even a comment on it (beyond the title). It was a springboard to the topic.
