Phayllos of Croton

Phayllos of Croton (Greek: Φάϋλλος) was an ancient Greek athlete and a naval commander from Croton in southern Italy, who outfitted and commanded a ship at the Battle of Salamis.

Phayllos of Croton inscription

Life

Phayllos won three victories in the Pythian Games, two of them in the pentathlon.[1]

In 480 BC, Phyallos outfitted a ship and commanded it in the Battle of Salamis, the only one from the Italian coast and received praise for his exploits by Herodotus.[2]

Culture and honors

Phayllos is used by Aristophanes as an example of long ago swiftness in his plays.[3]

Alexander the Great sent part of the spoils of the Battle of Gaugamela to Croton in Phayllos's honor.[2]

An inscription at the base of a statue of Phayllos at the Acropolis of Athens reads: "Phayllos was admired by all. For he was thrice victor in the games at Delphi, and captured ships which Asia sent forth."[4]

References
  1. Aristocracy and Athletics in Archaic and Classical Greece, Nigel Nicholson, page 125
  2. Reading Herodotus: A Study of the Logoi in Book 5 of Herodotus' Histories, Elizabeth Irwin & Emily Greenwood, page 175
  3. Four Comedies: Lysistrata/The Congresswomen/The Acharnians/The Frogs by Aristophanes, edited by William Arrowsmith, translated by Douglass Parker, page 102
  4. Ancient Greece: Social and Historical Documents from Archaic Times to the ..., Matthew Dillon and Lynda Garland, page 236
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