Hippocrates of Athens

Who was Hippocrates of Athens?

Hippocrates of Athens, the son of Ariphron, was a strategos of the Athenians in 424 BC, serving alongside Demosthenes.

Hippocrates and Demosthenes set out from Athens to seize the long walls of Megara. They were unable to gain entrance into the city but they were successful after a short siege. When the Spartan general Brasidas arrived, they were compelled to withdraw, but then invaded Boeotia in a three-pronged attack. Hippocrates was given command of the land force that was to take Delium and after he succeeded in doing so and fortifying a garrison there, while marching back towards Athens with his soldiers, the Boeotians arrived. A battle, known as the Battle of Delium, took place between the Athenians and the Boeotians, between Delium and Oropus, and the Athenians were clearly defeated. Hippocrates died near the beginning of the battle and nearly a thousand Athenians were slain alongside him. Only nightfall prevented further losses. After a siege of seventeen days, Delium fell to the Boeotians and at that point the bodies of Hippocrates and the other men were returned to the Athenians.