On the Chersonese is a political oration delivered by the Athenian statesman and orator Demosthenes

Demosthenes

Demosthenes was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. Demosthenes learned rhetoric by...

 in 341 BC

341 BC

Year 341 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Venno and Privernas...

. A short time later Demosthenes delivered one of his most famous speeches, the Third Philippic

Third Philippic

The Third Philippic was delivered by the prominent Athenian statesman and orator, Demosthenes, in 341 BC. It constitutes the third of the four philippics.-Historical background:...

.

Historical background

In 343 BC, the Macedonian arms were carried across Epirus

Epirus

The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...

 and a year later Philip II of Macedon

Philip II of Macedon

Philip II of Macedon "friend" + ἵππος "horse" — transliterated ; 382 – 336 BC), was a king of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.-Biography:...

 turned his military activities toward Thrace

Thrace

Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...

. He also imposed an amendment of the Peace of Philocrates

Peace of Philocrates

Peace of Philocrates is the name given to the peace treaty concluded in 346 BC between Athens and Macedon under Philip II. Philocrates was the name of the main Athenian negotiator of the Treaty.-Background:...

 in his favour. The war in Thrace lasted more than three years, and was one of Philip's most difficult campaigns. When the Macedonian army approached the Chersonese

Thracian Chersonese

The Thracian Chersonese was the ancient name of the Gallipoli peninsula, in the part of historic Thrace that is now part of modern Turkey.The peninsula runs in a south-westerly direction into the Aegean Sea, between the Hellespont and the bay of Melas . Near Agora it was protected by a wall...

, the Athenians became concerned about the future of this region. An Athenian general, Diopeithes

Diopeithes

Diopeithes was an Athenian general, probably father of the poet Menander, who was sent out to the Thracian Chersonese about 343 BC, at the head of a body of Athenian settlers or κληρoυχoι...

, ravaged the maritime district of Thrace, which angered Philip. The King sent a letter of reprimand to Athens, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Athenian troops from Cardia

Cardia (Thrace)

Cardia , anciently the chief town of the Thracian Chersonese , was situated at the head of the gulf of Melas...

, which was occupied by the Macedonian army. Because of this turbulence, Demosthenes delivered On the Chersonese during a meeting of the assembly

Ecclesia (ancient Athens)

The ecclesia or ekklesia was the principal assembly of the democracy of ancient Athens during its "Golden Age" . It was the popular assembly, opened to all male citizens over the age of 30 with 2 years of military service by Solon in 594 BC meaning that all classes of citizens in Athens were able...

.

Content

With this speech Demosthenes exhorted, and finally convinced, his compatriots to support Diopeithes, although the general had previously committed certain injustices and was in exile. Demosthenes' only concern in this speech is to focus on Philip's wrongs towards Athens.

External links

• Text of the speech at the Perseus Digital Library