Aeschines

Author Code: CAEC

Aeschines was of a humble background and held various positions during his early years before rising to prominence as a politician. With strong oratorical skills, he became a political rival of Demosthenes. In 348 BC, he was a member of an embassy to Philip II of Macedonia, which resulted in a peace accord betweens Athens and Macedonia. Having concluded that to oppose Philip would be impractical, Aeschines was accused by Demosthenes of taking bribes. Acquitted of the charge, he was subsequently accused again by Demosthenes and this led to Aeschine's speech Against Timarchus. He retired to Samos in his later years and died there. His other speeches that have survived include On the Embassy and Against Ctesiphon.