Nicias of Athens
Nicias of Athens was a prominent general during the Peloponnesian War, particularly known for his leadership during the Archidamian War and his rivalry with the aggressive Cleon of Athens. After Cleon's death, Nicias successfully negotiated the Peace of Nicias with Sparta in 421 BCE, temporarily halting hostilities. However, the peace was short-lived, and he soon faced new challenges, notably from Alcibiades, who emerged as a significant political adversary. In 415 BCE, Nicias, alongside Alcibiades and Lamachus, was appointed to lead an expedition to Sicily, which Nicias deemed ill-conceived. Despite initial efforts, the campaign faced setbacks, culminating in a disastrous siege of Syracuse. Nicias's reluctance to withdraw from the conflict led to his eventual capture and execution by the Syracusans. His military failures, particularly during the Sicilian Expedition, contributed significantly to the decline of Athens and are often cited as examples of poor generalship in historical accounts.
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Nicias of Athens
Related civilization: Classical Greece
Major role/position: Statesman and military leader
Life
Nicias (NIHSH-ee-uhs) of Athens gained prominence in Athens during the Archidamian War as a successful general and rival of the aggressive Cleon of Athens. After Cleon’s death, he ended the war by negotiating the Peace of Nicias with Sparta in 421 b.c.e. Hostilities soon resumed, however, and at home a strong new opponent, Alcibiades of Athens, appeared.
In 415 b.c.e., Nicias, Alcibiades, and another general, Lamachus, were given command of an expedition to Sicily, one that Nicias considered ill-advised. Alcibiades was soon deposed, and Nicias and Lamachus initially achieved little. However, in 414 b.c.e., they besieged Syracuse, the foremost city in Sicily, almost taking it. Within a year, Lamachus’s death, the relief of Syracuse by the Spartan Gylippus, and errors in judgment by the ailing Nicias brought him to the brink of defeat. The arrival of reinforcements under Demosthenes led only to further disasters. Nicias, fearing disgrace, resisted withdrawal, only to be defeated and trapped. He surrendered but was executed by the Syracusans.
Influence
Nicias proved unequal to the major political and military crises of his career, contributing greatly to the downfall of Athens in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 b.c.e.). His role in the Sicilian Expedition is remembered, not altogether fairly, as an example of bad generalship.
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.