Diodotus (son of Eucrates)

Diodotus (Greek: Διόδοτος), son of Eucrates,[1] was an opponent to the proposal of Cleon – leader of the radical, imperialist faction in Athens – in 427 BC to kill all adult Mytilenean males and to enslave their women and children after the defeat of Mytilene[2] (see also Mytilenean revolt). He seems to represent the moderate faction in Athens (in favour of Pericles' policy).[3]

Diodotus' proposal won in the assembly,[4] so that in the end only Cleon's next proposal was carried out: to punish by death those Mytileneans who were sent by Paches to Athens[5] (which were a little over a thousand; this was probably about 10% of the adult male population of the rebelling cities on Lesbos. The execution took place without proper trial.[6]

Diodotus' one speech in Thucydides is all we know of him.

  1. ^ Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War/Book 3, 41. (2007, April 11). In Wikisource, The Free Library. Retrieved 10:37, August 19, 2007, from wikisource
  2. ^ Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War/Book 3, 36. (2007, April 11). In Wikisource, The Free Library. Retrieved 10:37, August 19, 2007, from wikisource
  3. ^ Donald Kagan, The Peloponnesian War: Athens and Sparta in Savage Conflict 431-404 BC, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2003 (First published in the USA by Penguin Putnam 2003), page 109.
  4. ^ Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War/Book 3, 49. (2007, April 11). In Wikisource, The Free Library. Retrieved 10:37, August 19, 2007, from wikisource
  5. ^ Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War/Book 3, 50. (2007, April 11). In Wikisource, The Free Library. Retrieved 10:37, August 19, 2007, from wikisource
  6. ^ Donald Kagan, The Peloponnesian War: Athens and Sparta in Savage Conflict 431-404 BC, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2003 (First published in the USA by Penguin Putnam 2003), page 111.