Lysandre

Lysandre , in Greek old Λύσανδρος / Lýsandros (Haliarte, Béotie, † 395), military commander Spartan which puts an end to the Peloponnesian War.

Biography

Lysandre is the son of one named Aristocritos. Although, according to Plutarque ( Lysandre , II, 1), it belongs to the line of the Héraclides, its family is poor. He manages to rise in the spheres of the capacity and in 407, he is named Navarque (ordering fleet Spartan). He is then sent to Éphèse, where he endeavors to give on level the fleet. There, it ties to bonds with Cyrus the Young person, wire junior by Large King Darius II. Skilfully, he complains about the satrap Tissapherne, enemy personnel of Cyrus, showing it to be itself let thwart by Alcibiade. Cyrus grants full subsidies then to him, about 10 000 dariques (Plutarque, IV, 6), is 200 000 Drachme S. This makes it possible Lysandre to increase balances it sailors, who passes from three to four mites. So Lysandre can not only recruit without problems, but also discharge the enemy crews.

In 406, Antiochos, that Alcibiade left main Athenian fleet, starts the combat with Lysandre. It is the Bataille of Concept, where Lysandre gains the victory and takes 15 enemy Trière S. The navarchie lasting only one year, Lysandre is then replaced by Callicratidas which, less gifted for the diplomacy, displeases in Cyrus and does not obtain assistances of its share. Whereas it accumulates the reverses, the friends of Lysandre intrigue to obtain its return to the head of the fleet. The law Spartan prohibiting a citizen from being navarque more once, one grants to called Aracos the navarchie, but it is Lysandre, officially only epistoleus (second), which holds the true capacity on the fleet in 405 and 404.

Lysandre joins again the friendship between Cyrus and Sparte. Persia will entrust even the guard of its treasure to him when in 404, it must go in Médie for the death of his father. Not having an enough important fleet to start a frontal naval action, it is satisfied with incursions against Égine and Salamine, then sets out again towards the Asia Mineure when the Athenians launch out to his continuation. It goes then towards the Hellespont, with an aim of cutting the supply corn of Athens, and attacks Lampsaque.

The Athenian, strong fleet of 180 trières, controls the straits to ensure the routing of corns of the Black Sea towards Athens, all the other sources of supply of the city being lost at this stage of the war. In front of the difference of the involved naval forces, Lysandre chooses the trick, and succeeds in attracting the Athenians with ground, where the terrestrial superiority Spartan gives him the victory, on the shore of Aigos Potamos. The Athenian strategists, in spite of the councils of Alcibiade, fell into the trap, their fleet is destroyed, more than 3000 men prisoners are made, and the road of corn is cut: the victory Spartan in Peloponnesian War is not any more the business but of some month.

With the King de Sparte, Acted II, Lysandre blocks the Pirée, and, after the rendering of Athens in spring 404, it supports the installation of the Thirty. It makes burn the vessels of Athens and destroy the Long Walls with the sound of the aulos. It removes then Samos and drives out the Athenians of Mélos and Sicyone. It installs oligarchies in all the old cities of the league of Délos.

It is then isolated government of Sparte by the éphore S which its enrichment and its popularity upset. It accompanies Agésilas II, one of two kings de Sparte that Lysandre helped to reach the capacity, in Asia in its fight against the Perses but returns quickly and considers a modification of the Constitution of Sparte. It wishes that monarchy not be hereditary any more but elective for all the héraclides (descendrans of Héraclès).

When the Guerre of Corinth bursts (395 - 386), war which opposes a coalition of quoted Greek against the tyrannical domination of Sparte, it is sent in Béotie. Its adversaries hope to save time to allow the return of Agésilas II, only think able to contain it. Lysandre invades the Béotie and is killed during the seat of the city of Haliarte in 395, undoubtedly because of the unwillingness of Agesilas.

Sources

Cornélius Népos, Of the remarkable captains of the foreign countries ( Lysandre );
( Lysandre );
(V-VI).

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