Phyllidas

Family: Thebans · Role: secretary to Archias · First appears: Book 5, section 4, part 1/5

Phyllidas was secretary to Archias, one of the polemarchs. A visit to Athens for business brought him into contact with Melon, an exile and former acquaintance; there, the two exchanged pledges and arranged a plot against the Theban rulers.

That night, Melon and his companions killed the polemarchs, including Archias. Phyllidas and three others then entered Leontiades’s house and killed him, before Phyllidas and two companions killed the prison gaoler and released the prisoners. At the Ampheion, the conspirators armed the released prisoners and called the Thebans to arms, announcing that the tyrants were dead.

Relationship record

Life events

• Phyllidas and Melon exchanged pledges and arranged a plot against the Theban rulers.(Book 5, section 4, part 1/5 · 📍 Athens)
  • With: Melon
  • “It only remained to exchange pledges, and to arrange the details of what was to be done.”
• Melon and his companions killed the polemarchs, including Archias.(Book 5, section 4, part 1/5 · 📍 Thebes)
  • With: Melon Archias
  • “That is one version of the death of the polemarchs.”
• Phyllidas and three of the band entered Leontiades's house and killed him.(Book 5, section 4, part 1/5)
  • With: Leontiades
  • “They entered, slew Leontiades, and with threats silenced his wife.”
• Phyllidas and two companions killed the gaoler and released the prisoners.(Book 5, section 4, part 1/5 · 📍 the prison)
  • “The gaoler opened the door, and was at once despatched, and the prisoners were released.”
• The conspirators armed the released prisoners and called the Thebans to arms, announcing the tyrants' deaths.(Book 5, section 4, part 1/5 · 📍 the Ampheion)
  • With: Melon
  • “These they speedily supplied with arms taken from the armoury in the stoa, and then led them to the Ampheion, and bade them take up a position there, after which they at once made a proclamation calling on all Thebans to come out, horse and foot, seeing that the tyrants were dead.”

Book 5, section 4, part 1/5

• employer: Archias “There was a man named Phyllidas--he was secretary to Archias, that is, to the polemarchs.”
• with Melon (They were former acquaintances.) “A visit to Athens in pursuance of some business brought this man into contact with a former acquaintance of his, Melon, one of the exiles who had fled for safety to Athens.”
• with Leontiades (Phyllidas and his companions killed Leontiades.) “That over, Phyllidas, with three of the band, set off to the house of Leontiades. Arrived there, he knocked on the door, and sent in word that he had a message from the polemarchs. Leontiades, as chance befell, was still reclining in privacy after dinner, and his wife was seated beside him working wools. The fidelity of Phyllidas was well known to him, and he gave orders to admit him at once. They entered, slew Leontiades, and with threats silenced his wife.”

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Extracted from the original text of Hellenica. Made with Rho MD.