Leosthenes
Encyclopedia
Leosthenes was an Athenian
, commander of the combined Greek
army in the Lamian war
. We know not by what means he had obtained the high reputation which we find him enjoying when he first makes his appearance in history: it has been generally inferred, from a passage in Strabo
, that he had first served under Alexander the Great in Asia; but it now seems certain that this is a mistake, and that Leonnatus
is the person there meant.
It is certain that when we first meet with any distinct mention of Leosthenes, he appears as an officer of acknowledged ability and established reputation in war, but a vehement opponent of the Macedon
ian interest. Shortly before the death of Alexander he had collected together and brought over to cape Taenarum a large body of the Greek mercenaries that had been disbanded by the different satrap
s in Asia, according to Alexander's orders. As soon as the news of the king's death reached Athens, Leosthenes was despatched to Taenarus to engage the services of these troops, eight thousand in number: from thence he hastened to Aetolia
, and induced that people to join in the war against Macedonia. Their example was followed by the Locrians
, Phocians
, Dorians, and many of the Thessalians
, as well as by several of the states of the Peloponnese
; and Leosthenes, who was by common consent appointed commander-in-chief, assembled these combined forces in the neighbourhood of Thermopylae
. The Boeotia
ns, who, through fear of the restoration of Thebes
, adhered to the Macedonian interest, collected a force to prevent the Athenian contingent from joining the allied army; but Leosthenes hastened with a part of his forces to assist the Athenians, and totally defeated the Boeotian army. Antipater
now advanced from the north, but with a force very inferior to that of the confederates: he was defeated in the first action near Thermopylae, and compelled to throw himself into the small town of Lamia
. Leosthenes, desirous to finish the war at a blow, pressed the siege with the utmost vigour; but his assaults, were repulsed, and he was compelled to resort to the slower method of a blockade. While he was engaged in forming the lines of circumvallation, the besieged made a vigorous sally, in which Leosthenes himself received a blow on the head from a stone, of which he died three days after. His death was felt as a great discouragement to the cause of the allied Greeks; and Pausanias
is probably right in regarding it as the main cause of their ultimate failure. Phocion
's remark, on the other hand, is well known, that "he was very well fitted for a short course, but not equal to a long one." It is certain that Leosthenes gave proofs of no common energy and ability during the short period of his command; and his loss was mourned by the Athenians as a public calamity. He was honoured with a public burial in the Ceramicus
, and his funeral oration was pronounced by Hyperides. His death took place before the close of the year 323 BC: though still quite a young man, it appears that he left children, whose statues were set up by the side of his own in the Piraeus
.
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, commander of the combined Greek
Hellenistic Greece
In the context of Ancient Greek art, architecture, and culture, Hellenistic Greece corresponds to the period between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the annexation of the classical Greek heartlands by Rome in 146 BC...
army in the Lamian war
Lamian War
The “Lamian War”, also referred to as the “Hellenic War” and the “War against Antipater”, was fought by the Athenians and their Aetolian, Locrian, and Phocian allies against the Macedonians in Thessaly during the winter of 323–322 BC...
. We know not by what means he had obtained the high reputation which we find him enjoying when he first makes his appearance in history: it has been generally inferred, from a passage in Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
, that he had first served under Alexander the Great in Asia; but it now seems certain that this is a mistake, and that Leonnatus
Leonnatus
Leonnatus was a Macedonian officer of Alexander the Great and one of the diadochi.He was a member of the royal house of Lyncestis, a small kingdom that had been included in Macedonia by King Philip II of Macedon. Leonnatus was the same age as Alexander and was very close to him. Later, he was one...
is the person there meant.
It is certain that when we first meet with any distinct mention of Leosthenes, he appears as an officer of acknowledged ability and established reputation in war, but a vehement opponent of the Macedon
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
ian interest. Shortly before the death of Alexander he had collected together and brought over to cape Taenarum a large body of the Greek mercenaries that had been disbanded by the different satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
s in Asia, according to Alexander's orders. As soon as the news of the king's death reached Athens, Leosthenes was despatched to Taenarus to engage the services of these troops, eight thousand in number: from thence he hastened to Aetolia
Aetolia
Aetolia is a mountainous region of Greece on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, forming the eastern part of the modern prefecture of Aetolia-Acarnania.-Geography:...
, and induced that people to join in the war against Macedonia. Their example was followed by the Locrians
Locris
Locris was a region of ancient Greece, the homeland of the Locrians, made up of three distinct districts.-Locrian tribe:...
, Phocians
Phocis
Phocis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth...
, Dorians, and many of the Thessalians
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
, as well as by several of the states of the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
; and Leosthenes, who was by common consent appointed commander-in-chief, assembled these combined forces in the neighbourhood of 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"....
. The Boeotia
Boeotia
Boeotia, also spelled Beotia and Bœotia , is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, the second largest city being Thebes.-Geography:...
ns, who, through fear of the restoration of Thebes
Thebes, Greece
Thebes is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. It played an important role in Greek myth, as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and others...
, adhered to the Macedonian interest, collected a force to prevent the Athenian contingent from joining the allied army; but Leosthenes hastened with a part of his forces to assist the Athenians, and totally defeated the Boeotian army. Antipater
Antipater
Antipater was a Macedonian general and a supporter of kings Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. In 320 BC, he became Regent of all of Alexander's Empire. Antipater was one of the sons of a Macedonian nobleman called Iollas or Iolaus and his family were distant collateral relatives to the...
now advanced from the north, but with a force very inferior to that of the confederates: he was defeated in the first action near Thermopylae, and compelled to throw himself into the small town of Lamia
Lamia (city)
Lamia is a city in central Greece. The city has a continuous history since antiquity, and is today the capital of the regional unit of Phthiotis and of the Central Greece region .-Name:...
. Leosthenes, desirous to finish the war at a blow, pressed the siege with the utmost vigour; but his assaults, were repulsed, and he was compelled to resort to the slower method of a blockade. While he was engaged in forming the lines of circumvallation, the besieged made a vigorous sally, in which Leosthenes himself received a blow on the head from a stone, of which he died three days after. His death was felt as a great discouragement to the cause of the allied Greeks; and Pausanias
Pausanias (geographer)
Pausanias was a Greek traveler and geographer of the 2nd century AD, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. He is famous for his Description of Greece , a lengthy work that describes ancient Greece from firsthand observations, and is a crucial link between classical...
is probably right in regarding it as the main cause of their ultimate failure. Phocion
Phocion
Phocion was an Athenian statesman and strategos, and the subject of one of Plutarch's Parallel Lives....
's remark, on the other hand, is well known, that "he was very well fitted for a short course, but not equal to a long one." It is certain that Leosthenes gave proofs of no common energy and ability during the short period of his command; and his loss was mourned by the Athenians as a public calamity. He was honoured with a public burial in the Ceramicus
Kerameikon
Kerameikos is an area of Athens, Greece, located to the northwest of the Acropolis, which includes an extensive area both within and outside the ancient city walls, on both sides of the Dipylon Gate and by the banks of the Eridanos River...
, and his funeral oration was pronounced by Hyperides. His death took place before the close of the year 323 BC: though still quite a young man, it appears that he left children, whose statues were set up by the side of his own in the Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
.