Clarke S., An Historical Commentary on Demosthenes 8.pdf

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An Historical
Commentary on
Demosthenes 8,
‘On the Khersonnese’
Stephen Clarke
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Department of Classics and Ancient History
The University of Sydney
A thesis submitted to fulfil requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
2018
This is to certify that to the best of my knowledge, the content of this thesis is my own work. This
thesis has not been submitted for any degree or other purposes.
Stephen Clarke
25 January, 2018
Abstract
Demosthenes 8 is a crucial speech which has long been neglected and rarely given the attention it
deserves. The speech focuses on Athenian relations with Philip in this crucial northern region and why
Philip was perceived a threat to Athenian interests in the area. Demosthenes seeks to paint Philip as
the one who broke the terms of the Peace of Philokrates, even though the historical narrative is not
supportive of this claim. The thesis seeks to provide the historical background to the speech and explain
the historical significance and veracity of all aspects relevant to the Khersonnese, an area that it was
crucial for both Philip and Athens to control. The speech is a study of the historical aspects raised in the
speech only and does not engage in a philological discussion except where it is necessary to explain the
history. The thesis demonstrates that Demosthenes is a skilled
politician, able to depict Philip’s actions
in the worst possible light and that the Khersonnese was indeed so critical to both that war was almost
inevitable. The study finds that this speech is a masterpiece of Demosthenic rhetoric, demonstrating all
of Demosthenes’ considerable skill and reflecting the themes raised in the corpus of Demosthenes’
sumbouleutic oratory.
To The Old Gran,
without whom I would never have loved Ancient History.
Acknowledgements
Writing a PhD is hard
–
writing a PhD as a part-time student is even more challenging. To
undertake and complete something so difficult is not possible without the help and support of
many people. Firstly, my wife has endured this almost from the beginning and without her love
and support, this project would never have been completed. To my proof-readers, Zac and
Cass, friends for such a long time, and Dennis, a long-suffering teaching and HSC marking
colleague, I thank you very deeply and recognise that it was very much a labour to read this
–
I am deeply indebted. Peter Wilson, my Associate Supervisor, later my Supervisor, has overseen
the final stages of constructing this PhD and I am immensely thankful that he was here in the
last run to see it through with enormous good-humour and forbearance with issues and
problems not of our own devising. Finally, Alastair Blanshard, my supervisor (in truth if not on
paper after his appointment to the University of Queensland), has supported and guided me
through my MA (Research) thesis and now my PhD. I am grateful for his feedback, (generally)
good humour and willingness to put up with my oft-times crazy ideas and use of the word
‘clearly.’
I thank you very deeply and sincerely.

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