Ivanov, Andrey - Pelopidas's death - 1805-1806

Pelopidas (; grc-gre, Πελοπίδας; died 364 BC) was an important Theban statesman and general in Greece, instrumental in establishing the mid-fourth century

Theban hegemony The Theban hegemony lasted from the Theban victory over the Spartans at Leuctra in 371 BC to their defeat of a coalition of Peloponnesian armies at Mantinea in 362 BC, though Thebes sought to maintain its position until finally eclipsed by th ...

Biography

Athlete and warrior

Pelopidas was a member of a distinguished family and possessed great wealth, which he expended on his friends and on public service while he himself was content to lead the rough life of an athlete.T Duff ed., ''Plutarch: The Age Of Alexander'' (Penguin 2011) p. 48-9 In 384 BC, he served in a Theban contingent sent to the support of the Spartans during the Siege of Mantinea, where he was saved, when dangerously wounded by the Arcadians, by

Epaminondas Epaminondas (; grc-gre, Ἐπαμεινώνδας; 419/411–362 BC) was a Greek general of Thebes and statesman of the 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greek city-state, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a pre-eminent posit ...

and Agesipolis. ::Pelopidas, after receiving seven wounds in front, sank down upon a great heap of friends and enemies who lay dead together; but Epaminondas, although he thought him lifeless, stood forth to defend his body and his arms, and fought desperately, single-handed against many, determined to die rather than leave Pelopidas lying there. And now he too was in a sorry plight, having been wounded in the breast with a spear and in the arm with a sword, when Agesipolis the Spartan king came to his aid from the other wing, and when all hope was lost, saved them both.Plutarch, ''Life of Pelopidas'', 4.

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...

says that this incident firmly cemented their friendship, and Pelopidas would be Epaminondas's partner in politics for the next 20 years. Epaminondas defending Pelopidas

According to Plutarch's Life of Pelopidas (from Plutarch's '' Parallel Lives'' in which Pelopidas's life was paired with the life of Marcellus), he lessened his inherited estate by showing constant care for the deserving poor of Thebes, taking pleasure in simple clothing, a sparse diet, and the constant hardships of military life. People said that he was ashamed to spend more on himself than the lowest of the Thebans spent on himself. Once, when friends argued that he needed to care for his finances since he had a wife and children, and that money was a necessary thing, Pelopidas pointed to a blind, crippled pauper named Nicodemus and said, "Yes, necessary for Nicodemus." Upon the seizure of the Theban citadel by the

Sparta Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referre ...

ns (382 BC), he fled to

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

and took the lead in a conspiracy to liberate Thebes. Spartans had kingship in their home and were supportive of oligarchic governments in other cities in pursuit of the

Spartan hegemony The polis of Sparta was the greatest military land power of classical Greek antiquity. During the Classical period, Sparta governed, dominated or influenced the entire Peloponnese. Additionally, the defeat of the Athenians and the Delian League ...

; contrariwise, cities with oligarchic and not democratic political system tended to support Sparta. In 379 BC, his party (the democratic) surprised and killed their chief political opponents in Thebes (members of the aristocratic party that supported the Spartans) and roused the people against the Spartan garrison, which surrendered to an army gathered by Pelopidas.

Boeotarch

Charon placed his only son in the arms of Pelopidas

In this and 12 subsequent years, he was elected '' boeotarch'', or warleader, and around 375 BC, he routed a much larger Spartan force at the

Battle of Tegyra {{Campaignbox Greek wars of the 4th century BC The Battle of Tegyra (375 BC) (also known as the Battle of Tegyrae)Plutarch, ' was an ancient Greek battle between Theban and Spartan hoplite forces. In the battle, a Theban army under Pelopidas was ...

(near Orchomenus). This victory he owed mainly to the valour of the Sacred Band, an elite corps of 300 seasoned soldiers. At the

Battle of Leuctra The Battle of Leuctra ( grc-gre, Λεῦκτρα, ) was a battle fought on 6 July 371 BC between the Boeotians led by the Thebans, and the Spartans along with their allies amidst the post- Corinthian War conflict. The battle took place in the vici ...

(371 BC), he contributed greatly to the success of

's new tactics by the rapidity with which he made the Sacred Band close with the Spartans. At Leuctra, Epaminondas, a brilliant and intuitive general, used the

oblique order The oblique order (also known as the 'declined flank') is a military tactic whereby an attacking army focuses its forces to attack a single enemy flank. The force commander concentrates the majority of their strength on one flank and uses the r ...

for the first time. After the battle at Leuctra, Thebes began to replace Sparta as the leading city of Greece. In 370 BC, he accompanied his close friend Epaminondas as ''boeotarch'' into the Peloponnese, where, by re-founding as an independent city

Messene Messene (Greek: Μεσσήνη 𐀕𐀼𐀙 ''Messini''), officially Ancient Messene, is a local community within the regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') of Messenia in the region (''perifereia'') of Peloponnese. It is best known for the ...

Sparta's former dependency, they were able to consolidate their success and permanently deprive Sparta of its hegemonic power.J Griffin et al eds., ''The Oxford History of the Classical World'' (Oxford 1986) p. 149 On their return, both generals were accused, unsuccessfully, of having retained their command beyond the legal term. In fact, the democrats and some aristocrats of Thebes acknowledged that Pelopidas and Epaminondas were the two most capable and important personalities of their city. Both were trying to establish a state that would unite Greece under the Theban hegemony – what

Xenophon Xenophon of Athens (; grc, Ξενοφῶν ; – probably 355 or 354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian, born in Athens. At the age of 30, Xenophon was elected commander of one of the biggest Greek mercenary armies o ...

called a policy "continuously direct towards securing supremacy in Greece".Xenophon, ''A History of my Times: Hellenica'' (Penguin 1966) p. 309

Embassy to Persia

In 367 BC, Pelopidas went on an embassy to the Persian king

Artaxerxes II Arses ( grc-gre, Ἄρσης; 445 – 359/8 BC), known by his regnal name Artaxerxes II ( peo, 𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂 ; grc-gre, Ἀρταξέρξης), was King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 405/4 BC to 358 BC. He was the son and suc ...

. Backed by the prestige of his Leuctra victory, Pelopidas was able to induce the king to prescribe a settlement of Greece according to the wishes of the Thebans, with particular reference to the continuing independence of Messene.

Thessalian campaign and death

Pelopidas leading the Thebans at the battle of Leuctra

The 360s saw Pelopidas leading a military/diplomatic advance by Theban power into Central and Northern Greece. In 369 BC, in response to a petition of the

Thessalians Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessa ...

, Pelopidas was sent with an army against

Alexander of Pherae Alexander ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος) was Tyrant or Despot of Pherae in Thessaly, ruling from 369 to c. 356 BC. Following the assassination of Jason, the tyrant of Pherae and Tagus of Thessaly, in 370 BC, his brother Polydorus ruled for a year ...

. After driving Alexander out, he passed into

Macedon Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an Classical antiquity, ancient monarchy, kingdom on the periphery of Archaic Greece, Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. Th ...

and arbitrated between two claimants to the throne. In order to secure the influence of Thebes in Macedon, he brought home hostages, including the king's younger brother Philip, a young man who would one day become king himself. In Thebes, Philip learned about the military tactics and politics of the Greeks. The next year, Pelopidas was again called upon to interfere in Macedonia, but being deserted by his mercenaries, was compelled to make an agreement with Ptolemy of Aloros. On his return through Thessaly, he was seized by Alexander of Pherae, and two expeditions (the second expedition, the successful one, was led by his friend Epimanondas) from Thebes were needed to secure his release. In 364 BC, he received another appeal from the Thessalian towns against Alexander of Pherae. Alhough an eclipse of the sun prevented his bringing with him more than a handful of troops, he overthrew the tyrant's far superior force on the ridge of Cynoscephalae. However, wishing to slay Alexander with his own hand, he rushed forward too eagerly and was cut down by the tyrant's guards. Plutarch considered him a prime example of a leader who threw away his life through recklessness and anger.T Duff ed., ''Plutarch: The Age of Alexander'' (Penguin 2011) p. 48

References

External links

Pelopidas
{{Authority control 364 BC deaths 4th-century BC Greek people Ancient Theban generals Ancient Greek generals Ancient Greeks killed in battle Military history of ancient Thessaly Theban hegemony Year of birth unknown