Anaximenes of Lampsacus facts for kids

Anaximenes of Lampsacus (born around 380 BC, died around 320 BC) was an important Greek writer and speaker. He was known as a rhetorician (someone skilled in public speaking and writing) and a historian. Anaximenes was one of the teachers of the famous Alexander the Great and even traveled with him during his military journeys.

Family and Background

Anaximenes' father was named Aristocles. Anaximenes also had a nephew, his sister's son, who was also named Anaximenes and became a historian, just like his uncle.

Skilled Speaker and Writer

Anaximenes learned from famous thinkers like Diogenes the Cynic. He was very good at rhetoric, which is the art of speaking or writing effectively to persuade people.

He wrote a book called Rhetoric to Alexander. This book was about how to speak and write well, and it was even thought to be written by Aristotle for a long time because it was so good!

Anaximenes was also known for being the first person to speak extemporaneously, meaning he could give speeches without preparing them beforehand. He also worked as a logographer, which means he wrote speeches for others to use in court. For example, he wrote a speech used to accuse a woman named Phryne.

Historian and Storyteller

Anaximenes wrote several history books. He wrote a long history of Greece in twelve books, covering events from the time of the gods all the way to a big battle called the Battle of Mantinea in 362 BC.

He also wrote a history about King Philip II of Macedon, who was Alexander the Great's father. Because Anaximenes was a favorite of Alexander the Great, he wrote another history book about Alexander's adventures during his campaigns in Persia.

Anaximenes was one of the top eight historians chosen for the famous Library of Alexandria in ancient Egypt.

He was not a fan of another historian named Theopompus. Anaximenes even played a trick on Theopompus by writing a fake book called Trikaranos. He wrote it in Theopompus's style and put Theopompus's name on it. This fake book criticized the cities of Athens, Sparta, and Thebes, making people angry at Theopompus, even though Anaximenes was the real author!

Saving His City

Anaximenes is famous for a clever trick he used to save his hometown, Lampsacus. The people of Lampsacus were thought to be on the side of the Persians, and Alexander the Great was furious. He threatened to destroy their city.

The people of Lampsacus sent Anaximenes to talk to Alexander. Alexander knew why Anaximenes was there, so he swore an oath to the gods that he would do the opposite of whatever Anaximenes asked.

Anaximenes, being very clever, said to Alexander, "Please, your majesty, do this for me: enslave the women and children of Lampsacus, burn their temples, and completely destroy the city!"

Alexander was stuck! Because he had sworn an oath to do the opposite, he had no choice but to pardon the people of Lampsacus and leave their city unharmed.

Statue in His Honor

To thank him for saving their city, the people of Lampsacus built a statue of Anaximenes at Olympia, Greece, a very important ancient site.