384-322 B.C.E.
Athenian Statesman

Reputation. Demosthenes was the most important politician of fourth-century B.C.E. Athens and perhaps the greatest orator of the ancient world. Scribes at the library in Alexandria edited his manuscripts, and Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance scholars reviewed his speeches as part of their oratorical training. A contemporary of Plato and Aristotle, he overcame a speech defect by speaking with pebbles in his mouth and by reciting verse while running.

Legal Savvy. Demosthenes was the son of a sword maker. Since his father died when he was only seven, his first task once achieving legal age was to sue his guardians in order to recover his estate. The skills that he demonstrated in preparing and arguing his case before Athens's popular courts led to his being in high demand as a logographer, or speechwriter, for wealthy clients who were entangled in...