Pytheas ( grc, Πυθέας) of

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

was an

orator An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled. Etymology Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14th ...

who wrote speeches and other works.Suda, Pi, 3125
/ref> Considered an insolent man by his contemporaries, Pytheas opposed fellow orators

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 prow ...

and

Demades Demades ( el, Δημάδης, BC) was an Athenian orator and demagogue. Background and early life Demades was born into a poor family of ancient Paeania and was employed at one time as a common sailor, but he rose to a prominent position at Athen ...

. He was against the deification of

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...

. When other statesmen told him that he was not yet of an age to give advice on such matter of importance, he replied that he was older than Alexander, whom they wanted to make a god. In 323 BC, he was a persecutor of Demosthenes in the

Harpalus Harpalus (Greek: Ἅρπαλος) son of Machatas was an aristocrat of Macedon and boyhood friend of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. Harpalus was repeatedly entrusted with official roles by Alexander and absconded three times with la ...

bribery scandal. Following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, he opposed Demosthenes, who attempted to create an anti-Macedonian front. Together with another Athenian orator,

Callimedon Callimedon ( grc, Καλλιμέδων) was an orator and politician at Classical Athens, Athens during the 4th century BCE who was a member of the Rise of Macedon, pro-Macedonian faction in the city. None of his speeches survive, but details of ...

, Pytheas fled to Athens for the camp of

Antipater Antipater (; grc, , translit=Antipatros, lit=like the father; c. 400 BC319 BC) was a Macedonian general and statesman under the subsequent kingships of Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. In the wake of the collaps ...

and traveled through the ancient Greek world to prevent the other Greek cities from attaching themselves to Athens.Plutarch's Life of Demosthenes
/ref>

References

{{reflist Attic orators 4th-century BC Greek people People associated with Alexander the Great