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Gorgidas (Ancient Greek: Γοργίδας) was the first known Theban military leader of the Sacred Band of Thebes around 378 BC.

Plutarch in his Life of Pelopidas mentions Gorgidas for the first time when the pro-Spartan polemarch Leontidas took over with a Spartan army and forced the pro-Athens aristocrats and supporters to leave Thebes for good in 382 BC. They later came back in 379–378 BC to take back their city and kill the tyrants. Also in Life of Pelopidas, Plutarch credits Gorgidas with the creation of the Sacred Band, which he dispersed at first throughout the front ranks of the regular infantry, with the idea that they would inspire valour. However, they were later arrayed by Pelopidas as a unit in order to make their gallantry more conspicuous.^[1]

Cultural references[edit]

In the Videssos Cycle by Harry Turtledove, there appears as a main character a Greek physician named Gorgidas, who has much in common with the men of the Sacred Band of Thebes.

In the book My Fair Captain by J. L. Langley, the society mainly featured is based on and draws its roots from the Sacred Band of Thebes mentioning Gorgidas.

References[edit]

^ Plutarch, Life of Pelopidas, 18.1 and 19.3

"The Theban Sacred Band". The Ancient World, XXIII.2, (1992), pp. 3-19.

[1] Plutarch, Life of Pelopidas, 18.1 and 19.3

[1]

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-'''Gorgidas''' was a [[Thebes (Greece)|Theban]] military leader of the [[Sacred Band of Thebes]], an elite corps of paired Theban [[Theban pederasty|pederastic lovers]].
+{{Short description|4th century BC Theban military commander, leader of the Sacred Band}}
+'''Gorgidas''' ([[Ancient Greek]]: Γοργίδας) was the first known [[Thebes (Greece)|Theban]] military leader of the [[Sacred Band of Thebes]] around 378 BC.
+[[Plutarch]] in his ''Life of Pelopidas'' mentions Gorgidas for the first time when the pro-Spartan polemarch Leontidas took over with a Spartan army and forced the pro-Athens aristocrats and supporters to leave Thebes for good in 382 BC. They later came back in 379–378 BC to take back their city and kill the tyrants. Also in ''Life of Pelopidas'', Plutarch credits Gorgidas with the creation of the Sacred Band, which he dispersed at first throughout the front ranks of the regular infantry, with the idea that they would inspire valour. However, they were later arrayed by [[Pelopidas]] as a unit in order to make their gallantry more conspicuous.<ref>Plutarch, ''Life of Pelopidas'', 18.1 and 19.3</ref>
-The reasoning behind the Sacred Band was that lovers would fight more fiercely and more cohesively at each other's sides than would strangers with no philadelphic bonds. The Sacred Band was 150 pairs of lovers or best friends, a total of three hundred men, who found their gallant end on the blood-drenched field of [[Battle of Chaeronea|Chaeronea]], in 338 BC.
+== Cultural references ==
-[[Plutarch]] chronicled their exploits. Gorgidas, around 378 BC, first established the Sacred Band by choosing couples from his army. [[Plato]] had first proposed such a troop in the ''[[Symposium (Plato)|Symposium]]'': <blockquote>"If there were only some way of contriving that a state or an army should be made up of lovers and their loves, they would be the very best governors of their own city, abstaining from all dishonour, and emulating one another in honour; and when fighting at each other's side, although a mere handful, they would overcome the world. For what lover would not choose rather to be seen by all mankind than by his beloved, either when abandoning his post or throwing away his arms? He would be ready to die a thousand deaths rather than endure this. Or who would desert his beloved or fail him in the hour of danger? The veriest coward would become an inspired hero, equal to the bravest, at such a time; Love would inspire him."</blockquote>
+* In the [[Videssos]] Cycle by [[Harry Turtledove]], there appears as a main character a Greek physician named Gorgidas, who has much in common with the men of the Sacred Band of Thebes.
+* In the book ''My Fair Captain'' by J. L. Langley, the society mainly featured is based on and draws its roots from the Sacred Band of Thebes mentioning Gorgidas.
-Plutarch in his ''Life of Pelopidas'' said this was Gorgidas' inspiration: "Since the lovers, ashamed to be base in sight of their beloved, and the beloved before their lovers, willingly rush into danger for the relief of one another."
-The Sacred Band was at first dispersed throughout the front ranks of the regular infantry, with the idea that they would inspire valour, but they were later arrayed as a unit in order to make their gallantry more conspicuous.
-After Thebes contributed to a Peloponnesian League victory in the [[Peloponnesian War]] in 404 BC, they allied themselves with Corinth, Argos, and Athens in the Corinthian War, fighting with  [[Sparta]]n troops, and becoming fierce warriors. [[Pelopidas]] recaptured the Theban Cadmea in 379 BC after a Spartan takeover in 381, and he assumed the command of the Sacred Band in which he fought alongside his good friend, General [[Epaminondas]].
-The Sacred Band under Pelopidas fought the Spartans in [[Tegyra]], vanquishing an army that was at least three times their number.
-The Sacred Band was also responsible for the victory of [[Battle of Leuctra|Leuctra]] in 371 BC, called by [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] the most decisive battle ever fought by Greeks against Greeks. Leuctra established Theban independence from Spartan rule, and laid the groundwork for the expansion of Theban power, though possibly also for Philip II's eventual victory.
-The Sacred Band was eventually destroyed by [[Philip II of Macedon]], who had been held as a hostage in Thebes, and had learned his military tactics there. The remainder of the Theban army fled when faced with the overwhelming forces of Philip and his son [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]], but the Sacred Band, surrounded, held their ground and died where they stood. Only forty-six were taken alive.
-Plutarch records the words of Philip, touring the field after the battle in his ''Life of Pelopidas'': "lying all where they had faced the long spears of his [[Phalanx formation|phalanx]], with their armour, and mingled one with another, he was amazed, and on learning that this was the band of lovers and beloved, shed tears and said, 'Perish miserably they who think that these men did or suffered aught disgraceful!'"  Philip buried their bodies with honor, setting up the Lion of Chaeronea over them. The grave was excavated in 1881, confirming Plutarch's account.
-== Cultural References ==
-In the [[Videssos]] Cycle by [[Harry Turtledove]] there appears as a main character a Greek physician named Gorgidas, who has much in common with the men of the Sacred Band of Thebes.
 ==References==
+{{reflist}}
 *"The Theban Sacred Band". ''The Ancient World'', XXIII.2, (1992), pp. 3-19.
+[[Category:4th-century BC Greek people]]
-[[Category:Ancient Thebans]]
+[[Category:Ancient Theban generals]]
-[[Category:Pederasty in ancient Greece]]
+[[Category:Theban hegemony]]
-[[Category:Ancient Greek generals]]
-[[Category:4th-century BC Greeks]]
-[[ca:Gòrgides]]
-[[es:Górgidas]]