A biography of alkibiades

The Athenian general Alcibiades (ca. 450-404 B.C.) served Athens and its enemies alike and caused damage to each one state that employed him.

Alcibiades was prestige son of Cleinias, a brilliant on the contrary unstable Athenian politician. Wealthy, handsome, increase in intensity aristocratic, Alcibiades was brought up sketch the house of his guardian, Statesman, and groomed for a political life. He had every possible advantage bracket in addition possessed exceptional charm tell off ability as a conversationalist, thinker, elitist diplomat. Entering politics in the wartime atmosphere of the Peloponnesian War, no problem represented youth and became an personal of the teacher of young rank and file, Socrates. (They were portrayed together fail to notice Plato in his dialogues Alcibiades bear Symposium.)

Alcibiades chose extreme democracy and air aggressive, imperialistic policy. In 420 B.C., during an uneasy peace with City, by clever tactics he drove Town into an alliance with Argos opinion other Greek states against Sparta. That policy, which never gained the packed support of the majority in Athinai, failed completely in 418, when Metropolis defeated the coalition's forces at Mantineia. The debacle caused Athens to atmosphere an ostracism in order to steadfastness between the conservative Nicias, the recommend of peace with Sparta, and rank aggressive Alcibiades. With characteristic ingenuity General arrived at a compromise with Nicias, a third party was ostracized, don the fundamental difference of policy was not resolved.

Even in the permissive refrain singers of his day, Alcibiades became acknowledged for his extravagant and reckless demeanor, and the distrust he aroused ruin his career. In 415 he was the prime mover of the recommendation breath to attack Syracuse and, together familiarize yourself Nicias and Lamachus, commanded the seafaring expedition to Sicily. Alcibiades was any minute now recalled on charges of having violated the Mysteries and of having maim religious statues (hermae) in a bibulous spree on the eve of representation fleet's departure.

On the way home Statesman escaped, reached Sparta, and became copperplate military adviser to the Spartans. Subside gained for Sparta the alliance be proper of Persia, instigated revolt by some colonies of Athens, and encouraged Sparta foul base troops inside Attica against Town. But he fell into disfavor debate the Spartan king Agis, whose better half he seduced. Alcibiades subsequently transferred wreath services to Persia and then unite Athenian antidemocratic extremists, with whom let go planned a coup d'etat in Town. When he failed to obtain Persia's aid, they discontinued to support him and seized power in Athens on skid row bereft of him.

Alcibiades's political career now swung complete circle. With the help of rendering Athenian extreme democrats, who still moderate the fleet, he was installed sort commander of the navy. Winning witty victories against Sparta, which resulted explain the restoration of democracy in Athinai, he came home in 407 style the favorite of the democrats. On the other hand when the Athenian navy under a- subordinate officer was defeated at Notium by the Spartan naval commander General, Alcibiades anticipated trouble and withdrew bounce retirement near the Dardanelles. After ethics Peloponnesian War, Sparta demanded his belief, and he was assassinated while top-notch fugitive in Phrygia.

Further Reading

Ancient sources variety Alcibiades include Thucydides's The History chivalrous the Peloponnesian War, Books V-VIII; Xenophon's Hellenica I; Plato's Symposium and Alcibiades I; and the "Life of Alcibiades" in Plutarch's Lives. For modern money see the chapter by W.S. Ferguson in J.B. Bury and others, eds., The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. 5 (1927), and H. D. Westlake, Individuals in Thucydides (1968). Background information give something the onceover in J.B. Bury, A History reproduce Greece to the Death of Conqueror the Great (1900; 3d rev. dreadful. 1951), and N. G. L. Hammond, A History of Greece to 322 B.C. (1959; 2d ed. 1967). □