Brasidas of Sparta
Brasidas of Sparta was a prominent general during the Archidamian War, which occurred from 431 to 421 B.C.E. He first gained recognition for his successful defense of Methone against Athenian forces in 431 B.C.E. Throughout the conflict, Brasidas was known for his aggressive military strategies, advising Spartan naval commanders and leading significant campaigns, including an unsuccessful landing at Pylos. His most notable achievements came in 424 B.C.E., when he saved Megara from Athenian siege and successfully captured several cities in Thrace, notably the colony of Amphipolis. In a pivotal battle in 422 B.C.E., he defeated the Athenian leader Cleon, resulting in both their deaths, a moment that significantly impacted the war's progression. Brasidas's military successes are viewed as the only true victories for Sparta during this phase of the conflict, and his actions left a lasting legacy, particularly among the Athenians who mourned the loss of Amphipolis for generations. His life and career are often discussed in the context of their influence on the course of the Peloponnesian War and its historical narratives.
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Subject Terms
Brasidas of Sparta
Related civilization: Classical Greece
Major role/position: Military leader
Life
Brasidas (BRAS-uh-duhs), the finest Spartan general of the Archidamian War (431-421 b.c.e.), first gained notice in 431 b.c.e., when he saved the city of Methone from Athenian assault. In subsequent years, he advised Spartan naval commanders, always advocating aggressive action, and gallantly led an unsuccessful landing attempt on Athenian-held Pylos.
In 424 b.c.e., he rescued the city of Megara from Athenian attack, then marched into Thrace, where he won over various communities, in particular the important Athenian colony of Amphipolis. In 423 b.c.e., he secured two more cities, Mende and Scione, but could not prevent the Athenians from besieging Scione or retaking Mende and other sites. However, when the Athenian leader Cleon went against Amphipolis in 422 b.c.e., Brasidas surprised his army and routed it with heavy losses, killing Cleon but losing his own life as well. Their deaths allowed the war-weary Athenians and Spartans to end hostilities, at least for the moment.
Influence
Brasidas won Sparta’s only genuine successes of the Archidamian War. The loss of Amphipolis grieved the Athenians for generations and resulted in the exile from Athens of the historian Thucydides, keeping him out of the war and allowing him to write much of his Historia tou Peloponnesiacou polemou (431-404 b.c.e.; History of the Peloponnesian War, 1550).
Bibliography
Powell, Anton. Athens and Sparta. New York: Routledge, 1996.
Thucydides. “History of the Peloponnesian War.” In The Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian War, edited by Robert B. Strassler. New York: Free Press, 1996.