Thucydides and the Murder of Phrynichus

George E. Pesely (Austin Peay State University)

Thucydides’ version of the assassination of Phrynichus in 411 diverges significantly from the “official version” known from other sources. According to Thucydides, Phrynichus was struck by one of the peripoli, who escaped, but whose Argive accomplice was captured and tortured (8.92.2); neither man is named, but the peripolos was presumably an Athenian citizen. In contrast, Lysias, in his speech against Agoratus, identifies Thrasybulus of Calydon as the actual assassin and Apollodorus of Megara as his accomplice (13.71f.). Lysias’ version is confirmed by ML 85, a decree from 410/409 conferring Athenian citizenship on Thrasybulus, which also mentions Apollodorus and Agoratus, by a mention of Apollodorus in another speech of Lysias (7.4), and by a speech of Lycurgus from 330 (in Leocr. 112).

Although attempts have been made to harmonize the two versions (e.g., by Andrewes in HCT V.309-311), the disagreement over the identity of the assassins cannot really be explained away. The discrepancy between Thucydides and the other sources raises a number of questions about Thucydides’ sources of information and his own reliability. Why did he reject the official version? Can Thucydides possibly be right? If not, how reliable is he on Phrynichus elsewhere in Book VIII, or more generally about those details of the revolutionary movement in 411 which were not public knowledge?

Thucydides appears to have a consistently favorable view of Phrynichus; at least he refrains from openly criticizing him. He praises Phrynichus’ judgment in refusing battle near Miletus in 412 (8.27), endorses his rejection of Alcibiades’ proposals (8.48.4-7), admires his adroitness in avoiding exposure for his treasonous communications with Astyochus (8.50-51), and regards Peisander’s denunciation of him at Athens as slander (8.54.3). In his sketch of the four men most responsible for the oligarchical coup, he praises Phrynichus as the most dependable in facing danger (8.68.3). Thucydides’ judgment of Phrynichus has obvious implications for his assessment of other actors in these events, such as Alcibiades and Theramenes.

I will use Thucydides’ treatment of Phrynichus’ career and assassination to explore Thucydides’ impartiality and reliability for Athenian political history in this period.