Citation with stable link: Philip A. Harland, 'Greeks: Diodoros and Polyainos on human sacrifice by conspirators led by Apollodoros (late first century BCE on),' Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World, last modified September 12, 2026, https://philipharland.com/Blog/?p=23471.

Ancient authors: Diodoros of Sicily (late first century BCE), Library of History 22.5, as summarized in excerpts for Constantine Porphyrogennetos (link); Polyainos (ca. 162-163 CE), Stratagems of War 6.7 (link; link to Greek).

Comments: As I explained in an earlier post that introduces this series (link), Sallust’s reference to human sacrifice by the Roman senator Catiline and his Roman associates represents the earliest datable Roman source which illustrates the process of casting this accusation on internal members of Roman society. Overlapping with Sallust’s era is Diodoros of Sicily, who in this case is a Greek author further smearing a legendary Greek tyrant of the long past using this trope of human sacrifice. So, once again, common ethnographic slurs are being cast internally.

It is unfortunate that we do not possess Diodoros’ complete account of the Catiline conspiracy (since only brief later summaries survive, as collected in the Loeb translation at Library 40.5). If we did, we would be able see whether Diodoros referred to human sacrifice there too and to see whether Diodoros’ (or someone else’s) addition of human sacrifice to Apollodoros of Kassandreia’s terrible deeds was modeled on the rumours about Catiline, as I would suggest they are, rather than being drawn from some earlier Greek source.

What is noteworthy, however, is that Apollodoros of Kassandreia (ca. 278 BCE) is pictured engaging in almost the exact same set of actions involving human sacrifice and a blood oath to commit the overthrow of the local community leadership (in the city of Kassandreia, rather than Rome, in this case). However, since no other earlier Greek source dealing with Apollodoros makes this same claim, it may well be a projection of a newly emerging pattern of accusation from the late Roman republican era. Still later, Polyainos’ military guide book likewise gives an account, and this passage is also presented here. We do not know his sources.

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Diodoros of Sicily (as summarized in excerpts for Constantine Porphyrogennetos)

[Supposed human sacrifice]

(22.5) Apollodoros [of Kassandreia in Macedonia, ca. 278 BCE]⁠, whose aim was tyranny and who decided to confirm this aim by making an oath together (synomōsia), invited a teenager who was one of his friends to a sacrifice. Apollodoros offered the teenager to the gods as a sacrifice, gave those who took the oath together his innards to eat and, after mixing the blood with the wine, advised them to drink it.

[Further actions]

This same Apollodoros, having recruited some Galatians, also supplied them with weapons. After giving them gifts, he found them to be loyal guards and, due to their cruelty, convenient tools to execute his punishments. By confiscating the property of wealthy people, he amassed great wealth. Then, by increasing the pay of his soldiers and by sharing his riches with poor people, he made himself master of a strong force. However, at that point turning to cruelty and greed, he began to exact money from the citizens in general. By inflicting the penalty of torture on many men and more than a few women, he forced everyone to hand over gold and silver. His guide and tutor in tyranny was Kalliphon the Sicilian, who had lived at the court of many of the Sicilian tyrants.

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Polyainos

[Context of the plot at Kassandreia]

(6.7) When Apollodoros of Kassandreia (or: Cassandreia) was charged with plotting to deprive the people of their freedom, he appeared in black, with his wife and daughters dressed in the same manner. In this way, Apollodoros surrendered himself to his judges, to dispose of him as they pleased. However, as they saw him so humiliated, they were touched with compassion and acquitted him. Not long afterwards, Apollodoros pursued his schemes with more success and seized power. The first act of his tyranny was directed against the judges who had acquitted him. He punished them with the greatest cruelty, as though he had saved his own life rather than being saved by their humanity.

When Apollodoros was a private citizen at Kassandreia, he was so careful about what he said and did that he was considered a hater of tyrants. He signed the decree for the removal of the tyrant Lachares from Kassandreia, because Lachares was a friend and ally of king Antiochos [I Soter] and suspected of intending to betray the people to him [ca. 279 BCE]. And when Theodotos proposed that Apollodoros should have a bodyguard, Apollodoros himself was the first to oppose the motion. Apollodoros also established the Eurydikaia, a feast in commemoration of Eurydike, who had restored freedom to the citizens of Kassandreia. He obtained the freedom of the city for the soldiers who had refused to defend the fortress against the people, and he allotted them settlements in Pallene. The purpose of this was so that they might remain there as guardians of public freedom. In addition, at all public meetings he was continually denouncing despotism as though it was the most dreadful of all things which could happen to a people.

[Supposed human sacrifice, consumption of the flesh, and drinking blood]

Deceiving everyone as though he was most in favour of the people, he had gained the support of the household slaves and craftspeople of the workshops, calling them to a private meeting. There he killed a teenager whose name was Kallimeles and gave the body to the cook Leontomenes, who served up his innards for them to eat. After they all shared in this meal and drank his blood mixed with wine, he displayed the body to the impure association (koinōnia), confirming the pledge to commit the attack. With the assistance of these allies, he seized power and became the most cruel and bloody tyrant that ever afflicted Greeks or barbarians.

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Source of translations: C. H. Oldfather, Diodorus Sicilus: Library of History, volumes 1-6, LCL (Cambridge, MA: HUP, 1935-1952), public domain (passed away in 1954), adapted by Harland; R. Shepherd, Polyaenus’s Stratagems of War (London: G. Nicol, 1793), adapted and checked against the Greek by Andrew Smith of Attalus.org, public domain, further adapted by Harland.