antiphon the orator was a politician who lived in the 5th century bc, in ancient greece. he was important in athenian politics . he was born in 480 bc and died in 411 bc. people also called him anthiphon of rhamnus. even though he was called antiphon the orator, which means "person who makes speeches," historians think he did not make the speeches himself. he was a logograph, a person who wrote speeches for other people to make.