Callisthenes of Olynthus

Discuss Philip's achievements and Macedonia pre-Alexander

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sean_m
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Callisthenes of Olynthus

Post by sean_m »

I just noticed his full name. The Suda entry for Καλλισθένης says he was from that city, which Philip took by treachery, depopulated, and razed. Is there any dispute about that?

That would make him a historian deprived of his country like Thucydides, Xenophon, Sallust, and Josephus (history is not written by the victors: more often it is written by sore losers or people trying to make friends with the winners).
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Alexias
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Re: Callisthenes of Olynthus

Post by Alexias »

The Olynthians had previously occupied Pella, and then harboured two of Philip's half-brothers when they rebelled against him, so Philip had cause to destroy the city. I don't know what happened to the third brother but the Olynthians picked the wrong side (Athens in this case).
hiphys
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Re: Callisthenes of Olynthus

Post by hiphys »

According to Plutarch (Life of Alexander 53, 1), Callisthenes declared that himself accompanied Alexander in Asia in order to persuade the king to rebuild the city of Olynthus and repopulate it with its former inhabitants.
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