Eurylochos (Spartans)

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Eurylochos ( Greek  Εὐρύλοχος ; † 426 BC ) acted as a Spartan general during the Peloponnesian War . He fell in 426 BC. At the battle of Olpai .

Life

The Spartan Euylochos is only mentioned in the last year of his life by the Greek historian Thucydides as the general of his hometown. After 426 BC In the sixth year of the Peloponnesian War, an offensive by the Athenian strategist Demosthenes against the Aitolians had failed, Eurylochos was sent in the autumn of the same year as the leader of 3,000 heavily armed Peloponnesians at the request of the Aitolians to join them in the important western local city of Naupaktos to conquer. The defeated Demosthenes was still there without sufficient military forces. Eurylochus drew his troops together at Delphi , and from here he was able to draw part of the Lokrians to his side, including those who had been around since about 460 BC. BC from Athens occupied western locality Molykreion and then turned against Naupaktos. In the meantime, however, Demosthenes had received reinforcements from the Akarnanians and he managed to protect the threatened city from enemy attack. Thereupon Eurylochus withdrew from Naupaktos to the west and first set up camp in the area of ​​his neighboring allies. With the Ambrakiern he agreed to take joint action against the Amphilochians and Akarnanians.

Now Eurylochos set off with his troops from Proschion , skilfully bypassed a position of the Amphilochi and their allies who wanted to intercept him, and was able to bring about his union with the Ambraki at the fortified town of Olpai , located on the east coast of the Gulf of Ambrakia . Here he was attacked six days later by Demosthenes, who commanded the united troops of the Athenians and their allies. In the ensuing field battle, Eurylochus commanded the left wing of his army and was faced with Demosthenes, who led Messenian and a relatively small number of Athenian warriors on his wing . After Eurylochus had managed to outflank the opposing troops, he got into a prepared ambush, was attacked in the rear by Akarnan hoplites and fell. As a result, Demosthenes was able to achieve a decisive military victory.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Thucydides 3:100.
  2. ↑ Thucydides 3, 101f.
  3. ↑ Thucydides 3: 105-109.
personal data
SURNAME Eurylochus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Εὐρύλοχος (Greek)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Spartan general
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 426 BC Chr.