Demosthenes, a thirty-year-old professional speech writer (logographer), in 354 makes his first major speech before the Athenian Assembly, or Ecclesia (Ekklesia), a legislative body composed of all adult male citizens.

The speech, On the Navy Boards, addressed to the threat from the East, is a marked success.

The Assembly had convened to consider a rumored threat against Athens by the King of Persia.

Demosthenes' tightly reasoned oration helps persuade the Athenians to build up their naval strength quietly to show the Persians that, though Athens will not launch an attack, it is ready to fight.

He points out that, while Athens would have no allies if it attacked first, every other Greek city-state would join Athens if the Persians were the first to attack.

Revealing his penchant for careful fiscal planning, he proposes in the same speech an elaborate revision of the method used to tax the wealthy to raise money for ships.