Plutarchus, in Themistocles, uncritically confirms his source - Phanias of Lesbos - reporting, without further verification, the account of the sacrifice of three Persian princes ordered by Themistocles before the battle of Salamis. On the other hand, in Pericles, Plutarchus drastically rejects another source - Idomeneus of Lampsacus - , less notorious though undisputed yet, pointing at Pericles as the instigator of Ephialtes' assassination. Hence for Plutarchus, biographer of the fathers of Athenian democracy, the criterion of truth comes after the edifying intention to preserve the memory of classical Athens within the culture of the Roman Empire, at least when scandals have not yet been made public through unofficial, though powerful, means like the Attic theatre.

Le sacrifice des trois princes perses et l’assassinat d’Éphialte : Plutarque réécrit l’histoire des pères de la démocratie athénienne

BELTRAMETTI, ANNA ALBERTINA
2013-01-01

Abstract

Plutarchus, in Themistocles, uncritically confirms his source - Phanias of Lesbos - reporting, without further verification, the account of the sacrifice of three Persian princes ordered by Themistocles before the battle of Salamis. On the other hand, in Pericles, Plutarchus drastically rejects another source - Idomeneus of Lampsacus - , less notorious though undisputed yet, pointing at Pericles as the instigator of Ephialtes' assassination. Hence for Plutarchus, biographer of the fathers of Athenian democracy, the criterion of truth comes after the edifying intention to preserve the memory of classical Athens within the culture of the Roman Empire, at least when scandals have not yet been made public through unofficial, though powerful, means like the Attic theatre.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11571/468307
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