Phayllus

In ancient Greek legend and folklore, Phayllus () is a man from Oetaea who stole the cursed necklace of Harmonia from the temple of Athena to gift his mistress. The necklace then brought immense suffering to the woman, its last known owner, and her family. He seems to be a mythologized account of the Phocian strategos Phayllus who lived in the fourth century BC, who rewarded his allies with treasures taken from Delphi.

== Biography == The historical Phayllus was a Phocian strategos, who took seven thousand soldiers to support Lycophron against Philip II of Macedonia during the Third Sacred War in 353 BC, but was defeated. When his brother Onomarchus died, he became supreme commander over the Phocians and repelled Philip from Thermopylae with the help of the Spartans, Athenians, Achaeans and mercenaries; he rewarded them with treasures and gold taken from the temples at Delphi. He further suffered defeats at Orchomenus, Cephisus and Coronea. Eventually he died of an illness after assaulting Naryca.