Epicrates of Athens

Who is Epicrates of Athens?

Epicrates was a citizen of ancient Athens who took a prominent part in public affairs after the end of the Peloponnesian War.

He was a zealous member of the democratical party, and had a share in the overthrow of the Thirty Tyrants. But afterwards, when sent on an embassy to the Persian king Artaxerxes, he was accused not only of corruption, in receiving money from Artaxerxes, but also of peculation. Hegesander and Plutarch say that he so grossly flattered Artaxerxes as to propose that instead of nine archons, nine ambassadors to the Persian king should be annually chosen by the Athenians. Plutarch also says that he did not deny the charge of corruption. He seems, however, to have been acquitted, probably through the powerful interest possessed by himself and by his fellow criminal, Phormisius. He had been guilty of corruption on a former occasion also, but had been equally fortunate in escaping punishment.

This first offence of his was probably on the occasion when Timocrates of Rhodes was sent by Tithraustes to bribe the Greek states to attack Sparta in 395 BC. For though Xenophon asserts that the Athenians did not receive any money from Timocrates, Pausanias has preserved an account that at Athens bribes were taken by Cephalus and Epicrates.