The Ostracism of Hyperbolus

Abstract Ostracism at Athens is one of the many subjects in which David Lewis has taken an interest, but as far as I know he has not written on Athens’ last ostracism, that of Hyperbolus. It is a subject which presents a fascinating mixture of problems —in the interpretation of different kinds of text. and in the reconstruction of an episode in history. This is the episode in which, according to a story told three times by Plutarch, Hyperbolus proposed an ostracism, hoping to get rid of either Nicias or Alcibiades (or, according to Theophrastus, either Phaeax or Alcibiades), but the two men joined forces so that the supporters of each voted not against the other but against Hyperbolus, with the result that Hyperbolus himself was ostracized-but afterwards the people were disgusted and abandoned the institution of ostracism.