Alcidas
Encyclopedia
Alcidas was a Sparta
n admiral who was first appointed to lead 40 allied ships in the Spartan expedition to Mytilene in 427 BC. This was part of a double movement meant to hinder the Athenians from sending help to Lesbos, the other part being an allied invasion of Attica
. However, the rebellion of Mytilene was crushed before his force could arrive, largely due to the leisurely pace with which Alcidas led the fleet, and he was forced to put into Embatum in the Erythraeid seven days after the town capitulated. Alcidas was then urged by Teutiaplus, an Elean, to attack Mytilene anyway, as the Athenians would most assuredly be taken by surprise, but Alcidas acted with typical Spartan hesitance and refused. Trying another approach, some Ionian exiles advised him to capture a town in Ionia and use it as "a base for effecting the revolt of Ionia." Thucydides tells us this idea had merit, as the Spartans were "welcome everywhere", and the loss of Ionia would be a serious blow to Athenian resources. However, Alcidas refused this offer as well, as he "was eager to find himself back in Peloponnese as soon as possible".
After these events Alcidas led his fleet to Cyllene and found that Brasidas
had been sent to him in the capacity of "counsellor", showing the Spartan disproval of his results at Lesbos. The Spartans then resolved to strengthen the fleet and send it to Corcyra where "a revolution had broken out" and to arrive speedily before the Athenians could send succor. Brasidas
and Alcidas prepared accordingly, and together they defeated a fleet of Corcyrean ships, then fled when word reached them that 60 Athenian ships from Leucas
under the command of Eurymedon
had been dispatched to intercept them.
Later, Alcidas was one of the three Spartans sent to found the colony of Heraclea in Trachis
in 426 BC. Heraclea was "distant about four miles and a half from Thermopylae
, and two miles and a quarter from the sea." Thucydides
tells us the Spartans wished to found this colony "because it would lie conveniently for the purposes of the war against the Athenians. A fleet might be got ready there against Euboea
...and the town would also be useful as a station on the road to Thrace
."
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
n admiral who was first appointed to lead 40 allied ships in the Spartan expedition to Mytilene in 427 BC. This was part of a double movement meant to hinder the Athenians from sending help to Lesbos, the other part being an allied invasion of Attica
Attica
Attica is a historical region of Greece, containing Athens, the current capital of Greece. The historical region is centered on the Attic peninsula, which projects into the Aegean Sea...
. However, the rebellion of Mytilene was crushed before his force could arrive, largely due to the leisurely pace with which Alcidas led the fleet, and he was forced to put into Embatum in the Erythraeid seven days after the town capitulated. Alcidas was then urged by Teutiaplus, an Elean, to attack Mytilene anyway, as the Athenians would most assuredly be taken by surprise, but Alcidas acted with typical Spartan hesitance and refused. Trying another approach, some Ionian exiles advised him to capture a town in Ionia and use it as "a base for effecting the revolt of Ionia." Thucydides tells us this idea had merit, as the Spartans were "welcome everywhere", and the loss of Ionia would be a serious blow to Athenian resources. However, Alcidas refused this offer as well, as he "was eager to find himself back in Peloponnese as soon as possible".
After these events Alcidas led his fleet to Cyllene and found that Brasidas
Brasidas
Brasidas was a Spartan officer during the first decade of the Peloponnesian War.He was the son of Tellis and Argileonis, and won his first laurels by the relief of Methone, which was besieged by the Athenians . During the following year he seems to have been eponymous ephor Brasidas (died 422...
had been sent to him in the capacity of "counsellor", showing the Spartan disproval of his results at Lesbos. The Spartans then resolved to strengthen the fleet and send it to Corcyra where "a revolution had broken out" and to arrive speedily before the Athenians could send succor. Brasidas
Brasidas
Brasidas was a Spartan officer during the first decade of the Peloponnesian War.He was the son of Tellis and Argileonis, and won his first laurels by the relief of Methone, which was besieged by the Athenians . During the following year he seems to have been eponymous ephor Brasidas (died 422...
and Alcidas prepared accordingly, and together they defeated a fleet of Corcyrean ships, then fled when word reached them that 60 Athenian ships from Leucas
Leucas
Leucas may refer to:* Leucas is a genus of plants from the family Lamiaceae.* Leucas, an English transliteration of the ancient Greek place name, Leukas ....
under the command of Eurymedon
Eurymedon
Eurymedon was one of the Athenian generals during the Peloponnesian War.In 428 BC he was sent by the Athenians to intercept the Peloponnesian fleet which was on its way to attack Corcyra...
had been dispatched to intercept them.
Later, Alcidas was one of the three Spartans sent to found the colony of Heraclea in Trachis
Heraclea in Trachis
Heraclea in Trachis, also called Heraclea Trachinia, was a colony founded by the Lacedaemonians in the sixth year of the Peloponnesian War in 426 B.C. It was located four miles west of Thermopylae, and about 2 miles south of the Malian Gulf. The object of this colony was to assist the Trachinians,...
in 426 BC. Heraclea was "distant about four miles and a half from Thermopylae
Thermopylae
Thermopylae is a location in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs. "Hot gates" is also "the place of hot springs and cavernous entrances to Hades"....
, and two miles and a quarter from the sea." Thucydides
Thucydides
Thucydides was a Greek historian and author from Alimos. His History of the Peloponnesian War recounts the 5th century BC war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 BC...
tells us the Spartans wished to found this colony "because it would lie conveniently for the purposes of the war against the Athenians. A fleet might be got ready there against Euboea
Euboea
Euboea is the second largest Greek island in area and population, after Crete. The narrow Euripus Strait separates it from Boeotia in mainland Greece. In general outline it is a long and narrow, seahorse-shaped island; it is about long, and varies in breadth from to...
...and the town would also be useful as a station on the road to Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
."