Harpalus

Harpalus (Greek: Ἅρπαλος), son of Machatas, was a Macedonian aristocrat and childhood friend of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. Harpalus was repeatedly entrusted with official duties by Alexander and absconded with large sums of money on three occasions. Alexander appointed him treasurer of his empire in Babylon in 330 BC. In 324 BC he fled from Babylon to Athens with a large sum of money. The resulting political controversy in Athens ("the Harpalus Affair") was a contributing factor in the Lamian War. Life Lame in one leg and therefore exempt from military service, Harpalus did not follow Alexander into the Persian Empire, but was nevertheless given a post in Asia Minor. Alexander is said to have contacted him to request some reading material for his leisure time. Harpalus sent the king plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, the History of Philistus and odes by Philoxenus and Telestes. Harpalus Affair In 324 BC, Harpalus sought refuge in Athens. He was imprisoned by the Athenians at the instigation of Demosthenes and Phocion, despite the opposition of Hypereides, who wanted an immediate—and certain to fail—uprising against Alexander. The Ecclesia, at the suggestion of Demosthenes, decided to guard Harpalus' money, which was entrusted to a committee headed by Demosthenes himself. When the committee counted the money, they found 350 talents, although Harpalus had declared that he had 700 talents. When Harpalus escaped and fled to Crete, the orator faced a new wave of public outrage. The Areopagus held an inquiry, the results of which led to Demosthenes being charged with the misuse of 20 talents from the money Harpalus had brought. At Demosthenes' trial in the Heliaia before an unusually large jury of 1,500, Hypereides, the chief prosecutor, pointed out that Demosthenes had admitted taking the money, but said that he had used it for the people and had borrowed it free of interest. The prosecutor rejected this argument and accused Demosthenes of being bribed by Alexander. Demosthenes was found guilty, fined 50 talents and imprisoned, as he was unable to pay such a huge sum, but after a few days, thanks to the carelessness or connivance of some citizens, he escaped and travelled around Calauria, Aegina and Troezen. The Athenians soon overturned the sentence and sent a ship to Aegina to bring Demosthenes back to the port of Piraeus.