What is a name worth? In times when perpetrators of crimes are deliberately anonymized in the media and media campaigns struggle to find out who should be given attention in politically turbulent times, the act of destroying the Temple of Artemis by a simple man named Herostratos is more relevant than ever. Over 2300 years ago, this man wanted to become famous, whatever the cost. And it cost the world one of its seven wonders.
In 356 BC, the temple of Artemis in Ephesus on the west coast of Asia Minor, known far beyond the borders of Greece, burned down. It was an existential catastrophe for the people of the surrounding area, who were dependent on the temple in every way. The perpetrator, a certain and previously unknown man, Herostratos. Only under torture did he confess to having deliberately set the fire. His glorious motive, fame. He wanted his name to be remembered "for all eternity". The outcry in the city of Ephesus was enormous and led to radical reactions. No one should ever be able to remember or be reminded of his name again. But the plan to forget the arsonist forever did not work. The historian Theopompos of Chios described the crime and named the perpetrator. Other ancient authors such as Cicero or Plutarch did not mention him, but the damage had already been done. His story survived, along with his name. Herostratos was not forgotten, he became known. Ironically, it was the deliberate silence of those around him that ensured that he is still remembered today.
His case is an extreme example of a pattern that still works incredibly well today. Attention, no matter how it is generated, counts. It doesn't matter whether it is positive or negative. Herostratos was not a famous general, a poet or a king, but one of millions. He had nothing except the desire to be in the limelight. The fact that he destroyed a monumental historical wonder of the world, which the author Antipater of Sidon described as "Has Helios' eye ever seen anything like it except high Olympus?" (Antipater of Sidon: Anthologia Palatina 9, 151), alluding to the incredible size and beauty of the building, was of no concern to Herostratos.
We see similar examples today. In social networks and even on the stages of world politics, people deliberately attract attention with insults, lies or provocations. In public, some deliberately break taboos in order to make media headlines and generate further attention. Countless content creators on video platforms can be cited here as an example. And there are also people in everyday life who make loud and exaggerated statements just to finally be heard. Herostratos would probably not be an arsonist today, but a well-known content creator who goes viral with a scandal.
The first impulse of many people here is to take the stage away from the person, for example by silencing them in the media or by displaying posts less and therefore circulating them less. However, as with Herostratos, it is also clear that silence generates attention. It is precisely the ban on talking about someone or their misdemeanor that often makes them so much more attractive and interesting.
This person shows two things. Firstly, that memory is definitely power, and this applies then as now. Secondly, that attention simply cannot be prevented, or only partially. Anyone who wants to become famous will find their way into history, whether through fault or not, when others try to erase them. Herostratos is the best example of this.
Niklas Eilers
Photo: AI-generated
