Nicias rented 1,000 slaves into Athens's silver mines, Syracuse executed him, the Thirty killed his son, and his nephew went to court to keep the family land

Nicias son of Niceratus inherited a large fortune and was one of the largest lessees at the Laurion silver mines south of Athens. Xenophon writes that he once owned a thousand men in the mines and let them out to Sosias the Thracian for one obol a man per day. Sosias had to keep the number at a thousand. A speech by Lysias says Nicias's estate was expected to be at least 100 talents. Nicias commanded the Athenian expedition to Sicily. After the defeat at Syracuse in 413 BC he surrendered. The Spartan commander Gylippus wanted to take him to Sparta. Syracusans who had secretly corresponded with him feared exposure and pressed for his death, and he was executed. In 404 BC the Thirty arrested his son Niceratus and put him to death. Lysias says Niceratus left his own son property worth no more than fourteen talents. Nicias's brother Eucrates refused to join the oligarchy and also died under the Thirty. Afterwards a man named Poliochus moved to confiscate the family's land. He failed to win a fifth of the votes and was fined 1,000 drachmas. He tried again. Lysias wrote speech 18 for Eucrates' son. The speakers say they were orphaned under the Thirty, are still paying for warships and war taxes from the estate, and ask the court not to leave them without necessities. The verdict is not recorded^†.