Battle of Amphipolis
| date | 422 BC Chr. |
|---|---|
| place | Amphipolis |
| output | decisive victory of Sparta |
| consequences | Peace of Nicias |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
|
Athens |
Sparta |
| Commander | |
|
Kleon † |
Brasidas †, Klearidas |
| Troop strength | |
| 1500 to 2000 hoplites, approx. 1500 allies, marksmen and light ones (Lemnier, Imbrer, Eioner), approx. 300 riders |
approx. 2000 hoplites (including 1500 Thracians), approx. 2000 Leichtschildner (Edoner, Myrkiner, Chalkidier, amphipolite), approx. 300 horsemen (Myrkiner, Olynther) |
| losses | |
|
about 600 |
7 (?) |
Sybota - Potidaia - Spartolus - Stratos - Naupactus - Plataea - Olpai - Tanagra - Pylos - Sphacteria - Corinth - Megara - Delion - Amphipolis - Mantinea - Melos - Syracuse - Miletus - Syme - Eretria - Kynossema - Abydos - Kyzikos - Ephesus - Chalcedon - Byzantium - Andros - Notion - Mytilene - Arginus - Aigospotamoi
The Battle of Amphipolis took place during the Peloponnesian War in 422 BC. Chr. Between the Spartans under Brasidas and the Athenians under Kleon instead. Since both generals, who were among the perseverance politicians in their respective camps, died in battle, the way was clear after the battle to conclude the first phase of the war (the Archidamian War) with an armistice ( Peace of Nicias ).
prehistory
Around the time of the battle of Delion the Spartan commander Brasidas began in winter 424 / v 423rd Chr. With the siege of Amphipolis , an Athenian colony in Thrace on the river Strymon. The city was defended by Eukles, who called for help from Thucydides , who was at Thasos with seven Athenian ships.
To win the city before more Athenian troops would arrive, Brasidas offered the residents of Amphipolis free retreat with their possessions. Thereupon Amphipolis surrendered despite the objection of Eucles. On the same day Thucydides arrived in nearby Eion, which he defended with the help of the designated population of Amphipolis. Meanwhile, Brasidas allied itself with both the Macedonians under King Perdiccas and with some of the surrounding Thracian cities and attacked those cities that opposed him, including Torone. The Athenians feared that the cities that still stood by them, like Amphipolis, might come to an understanding with the Spartans. In the distant Athens, meanwhile, Thucydides was blamed for the loss of Amphipolis, even if he defended himself by saying that he could not arrive in time to save the city. He was tried and banished from Athens.
After the surrender of Amphipolis, Sparta and Athens agreed on a provisional armistice. Sparta hoped that Athens would release the Spartans captured in the Battle of Sphakteria , while Athens speculated on buying time to fortify the cities allied with it against Sparta. It is true that the document that the negotiators of the two powers agreed upon stipulated that the arms should rest for a year; in fact, Brasidas meanwhile took the town of Skione on the southern tip of Chalkidiki , while the Athenian Kleon sent a force to win Skione back.
In 422 BC BC, the armistice had now officially expired, Cleon arrived in Thrace with 30 ships, 1200 hoplites and 300 horsemen, supported by other troops of the Athenian allies. With this force he succeeded in retaking Torone and Skione, and the Spartan general Pasitelidas was killed in the battle for Skione. Then Kleon established himself in Eion, while Brasidas with 2000 hoplites, 300 riders and a few other troops stood at Kerdylion. He did not dare to attack and instead withdrew to the city of Amphipolis; Kleon followed him, but as Brasidas apparently made no move to engage in a battle, Kleon wanted to return to Eion with his army.
The battle
At that moment Brasidas broke out of the city and found the Athenians completely unprepared. In the battle that was now breaking out, Brasidas was soon fatally wounded without the Athenians noticing. Kleon fell on the run. The Athenians had to withdraw to Eion, losing a total of around 600 men. The Spartans are said to have lost only seven (as a code for "few") men in the battle. Brasidas himself succumbed to his injuries after learning of his army's victory.
Consequences of the battle
The amphipolitans buried Brasidas within their city walls. They regarded him as the second founder of their city and worshiped him as a hero with games and cultic celebrations .
The death of the most powerful warmongers paved the way for peace on both sides, and so the Athenians and Spartans concluded the Peace of Nicias soon after the battle , although it did not last long. One of the reasons for the ongoing dispute was the refusal of the Spartan commander Klearidas to return the city of Amphipolis to the Athenians as intended.
literature
- Thucydides : "The Peloponnesian War". Translated and edited by Helmut Vretska and Werner Rinnen. Reclam, Stuttgart, 2002, ISBN 978-3-15-001808-8 .