Herostratus
Arsonist who destroyed a Wonder for notoriety.
He committed the crime to achieve everlasting fame, and his name has become an eponym for someone who commits a crime solely to become famous.
- field
- Arsonist
- known_for
- Burning the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
- nationality
- Uncertain; possibly Ephesian or non-Ephesian, possibly a slave or former slave
Lore & Background
Few details about Herostratus survive; nothing of his family, birthdate, residence, job, or place in society is known. Historian Albert Borowitz described his identity as 'shrouded in mystery except for the name that history attributes to him.' It is sometimes assumed he was a citizen of Ephesus, near modern Selçuk, Turkey, but this remains uncertain. Because his punishment usually applied only to noncitizens, some historians suggest he was non-Ephesian by birth or a slave (or former slave). Some suppose he belonged to a low social standing. He was swiftly arrested and tortured on the rack, where he confessed to having committed the arson to secure everlasting fame or notoriety. He was then executed. To thwart his ambition, Ephesus passed a damnatio memoriae law forbidding anyone from mentioning his name. The arson shocked and grieved the city and possibly pushed it to the brink of panic. There might be gaps in this account; Borowitz observes that Herostratus professed his motives under torture instead of crying his name to all who would listen, and Ephesians may have suspected that enemies of the city had hired him.
Reader's Guide
Herostratus' legacy is that of a figure who sought fame through destruction. The damnatio memoriae law did not stop numerous ancient writers from documenting him; if anything, it may have guaranteed him posthumous fame. The first to mention him was Theopompus, a contemporary historian. By the Middle Ages, Herostratus was a familiar name in Europe, often invoked to mark unscrupulous quests for celebrity. His name has become a term for someone who commits a crime to achieve notoriety, and 'Herostratic fame' refers to fame sought at any cost. Modern scholars argue that his crime prefigured modern terrorist acts, including the assassination of Empress Elisabeth of Austria and the September 11 attacks. Herostratus is sometimes considered the first terrorist. His life and crime have been adapted extensively in Western literature, from Alessandro Verri to Jean-Paul Sartre, often repurposing him as a fictional character in a modern context.
Did You Know?
- Herostratus confessed under torture that he burned the temple to gain everlasting fame.
- A damnatio memoriae law was passed forbidding mention of his name, but many ancient writers recorded him anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Herostratus do?
He set fire to the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, reducing it to ashes. The temple had stood for centuries, and its destruction was a massive cultural loss for the ancient world.
Why did Herostratus burn the Temple of Artemis?
His stated motive was pure vanity: he wanted his name to be remembered forever. He reportedly said he committed the act so that his name would never be forgotten, making him the original notoriety-seeker.
What was Herostratus's punishment?
The Ephesians sentenced him to death, but they also decreed that his name would never be spoken or written again. This paradoxical punishment—killing him while erasing his identity—was meant to deny him the very fame he craved.
What does the word 'Herostratus' mean today?
His name has become an eponym in English and other languages for a person who commits a terrible crime purely to gain notoriety. The term is used to describe acts of destruction or violence motivated entirely by a desire to be remembered.
Elsewhere in the Notable Criminals And Outlaws universe
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