Demosthenes did not lead an easy life. Born with a speech impediment, which he overcame, Demosthenes was one of the most outspoken opponents of the rising power of Macedonia, which was seeking to bring the Greek peninsula under its sway. He eventually elected to end his life by drinking poison, having been chased out of Athens by Macedonian invaders. This portrait of the resolute orator, who built a political career out of resisting the Macedonian onslaught, mimics its subject in reshaping and challenging the norm of the day. Whereas older portrait busts portrayed their subjects not as individuals but as types—such as the poet or the athlete—this bust of Demosthenes is intensely particular. The focus of the artist was not on Demosthenes as a speaker, but on him as an individual. The creased brow differentiates this bust from earlier portraits of statesmen, who were often depicted as powerful and untroubled heroes. This new visual detail marks the beginning of the Hellenistic style, which challenged previously accepted artistic conventions by depicting the inner mind of the portrait subject.