Cleitarchus or Clitarchus ( el, Kλειταρχος; lived 4th century BC) was

tyrant A tyrant (), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to ...

Eretria Eretria (; el, Ερέτρια, , grc, Ἐρέτρια, , literally 'city of the rowers') is a town in Euboea, Greece, facing the coast of Attica across the narrow South Euboean Gulf. It was an important Greek polis in the 6th and 5th cent ...

Euboea Evia (, ; el, Εύβοια ; grc, Εὔβοια ) or Euboia (, ) is the second-largest Greek island in area and population, after Crete. It is separated from Boeotia in mainland Greece by the narrow Euripus Strait (only at its narrowest ...

. After

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ...

had been expelled from the tyranny of Eretria by Phocion in 350 BC, popular government was initially established. However, struggles for power ensued between different political parties in the city. Eventually, the supporters of

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh List ...

were overpowered by those supporting

Macedon Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled b ...

. So Philip then sent Hipponicus, one of his generals, to destroy the walls of Porthmus, the harbour for Eretria, and to set up

Hipparchus Hipparchus (; el, Ἵππαρχος, ''Hipparkhos''; BC) was a Greek astronomer, geographer, and mathematician. He is considered the founder of trigonometry, but is most famous for his incidental discovery of the precession of the equ ...

, Automedon and Cleitarchus as tyrants. Philips' actions against Eretria occurred after the peace between Athens and Philip in 346 BC, since

Demosthenes Demosthenes (; el, Δημοσθένης, translit=Dēmosthénēs; ; 384 – 12 October 322 BC) was a Greek statesman and orator in ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual pro ...

gives it as one of the proofs of a breach of the peace by Macedon. The tyrants, however, were not willing to keep their power quietly, for Demosthenes mentions two separate forces sent by Philip for their support, under Eurylochus and Parmenion, respectively. Soon after, Cleitarchus managed to gain sole control of the government. However, he does not seem to have been openly hostile towards Athens, though he held Eretria for Philip, for the Athenians sent ambassadors to Cleitarchus to request his consent to an arrangement for uniting Euboea under one federal government, having its base at

Chalcis Chalcis ( ; Ancient Greek & Katharevousa: , ) or Chalkida, also spelled Halkida ( Modern Greek: , ), is the chief town of the island of Euboea or Evia in Greece, situated on the Euripus Strait at its narrowest point. The name is preserved f ...

, to which Athens was also to transfer the annual contributions from Oreus and Eretria.

Aeschines Aeschines (; Greek: , ''Aischínēs''; 389314 BC) was a Greek statesman and one of the ten Attic orators. Biography Although it is known he was born in Athens, the records regarding his parentage and early life are conflicting; but it seems p ...

says that a

talent Talent has two principal meanings: * Talent (measurement), an ancient unit of mass and value * Talent (skill), a group of aptitudes useful for some activities; talents may refer to aptitudes themselves or to possessors of those talents Talent ma ...

from Cleitarchus was part of the bribe which he alleges that Demosthenes received for procuring the decree in question. Therefore, Cleitarchus appears to have joined the project of Demosthenes and Callias, to whom he should have been naturally opposed. Cleitarchus may have thought that it was in his interests to join the plan as a means of getting rid of the remnant of Athenian influence in Eretria. The plan, however, seems to have collapsed, and in 341 BC, Demosthenes carried a decree for an expedition to Euboea with the view of putting down the Macedonian interest on the island. In response, Cleitarchus and Philistides, the tyrant of Oreus, sent ambassadors to Athens to prevent, if possible, the threatened invasion. Aeschines, at whose house the envoys were entertained, appears to have supported their cause in the assembly. But the decree was carried into effect, and the command of the Athenian forces was given to Phocion. Subsequently, the Athenian forces led by Phocion were able to expel both Cleitarchus and Philistides from their respective cities.

References

* Smith, William (editor); ''

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology The ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'' (1849, originally published 1844 under a slightly different title) is an encyclopedia/biographical dictionary. Edited by William Smith, the dictionary spans three volumes and 3,700 p ...

''
"Cleitarchus"

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...

, (1867)

Notes

---- {{DEFAULTSORT:Cleitarchus Of Eretria Ancient Greek tyrants Ancient Eretrians 4th-century BC Greek people Philip II of Macedon