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The battle of Amphipolis was a disastrous Athenian defeat in Thrace,
inflicted on them by an army led by the Spartan
Brasidas (Great
Peloponnesian
War). Both Brasidas and the Athenian commander
Cleon were killed in the
battle, and their deaths helped to pave the way to the short lived peace of
Nicias in 421. The city of Amphipolis was located in the north-east of Greece.
It was built where the River Strymon emerged from Lake Cercinitis, and was
about three miles from the sea. In 422 it was a new settlement. The area was
contested with the Thracians, and two earlier attempts to create a city at the
site had failed - the first in 497 and the first Athenian attempt in 465. This
second colony had been destroyed by the Thracians and the inhabitants
massacred, but despite this setback the Athenians persevered, and the
successful colony was founded in 437. The city had not been founded for long
when the Great Peloponnesian War broke out. At first the fighting didn't
directly affect the city, but this changed after the Spartan commander Brasidas
led an army overland to Thrace. In the winter of the eighth year of the war
424-423. Brasidas captured the city. A relief expedition led by the future
historian Thucydides
only just failed to arrive in time, although did prevent the fall of the
port of Eion. Thucydides was
exiled for his part in the fall of Amphipolis. In the following spring the
Athenians and Spartans agreed a one year truce, which was successfully
observed, expiring in the summer of 422. Brasidas remained in Thrace during
this period, campaigning in areas not covered by the truce. After the truce
expired the Athenian politician Cleon lead an army of 1,200 hoplites and 300
cavalry supported by a larger contingent of allied troops into Thrace in an
attempt to restore Athenian control of the area. After an early success at
Torone, Cleon then sailed along the coast towards Amphipolis. He reached the
port of Eion, three miles from the city, and then waited for reinforcements to
arrive. Brasidas also moved to the area, and took up a position on Cerdylium,
on high ground close to Amphipolis and with a good view of the Athenian
position. Brasidas expected Cleon to advance towards Amphipolis without waiting
for reinforcements, and hoped to have a chance to attack the Athenians while
they were still comparatively weak. Brasidas had 2,000 hoplites, 300 Greek
cavalry, 1,000 local peltasts, the army of Edon and 1,500 Thracian mercenaries,
so perhaps outnumbered Cleon although the quality of his troops wasn't as high.
Cleon wasn't a popular commander, and he didn't have the full support of his
troops. He was unable to convince them of the wisdom of waiting for
reinforcements, and was forced to make some sort of move to keep them content.
He decided to march up the river to Amphipolis to examine the city and its
defences. When Cleon made his move, Brasidas abandoned his watching position
and moved into the city, but he kept his troops hidden. Brasidas was aware of
the inferior quality of his troops, and decided to try an unusual tactic. The
Athenians were somewhat disorganised outside the city. Brasidas decided to lead
150 his best men in a surprise attack on the Athenian centre. Once this advance
guard was fully engaged, his second in command Clearidas was to attack with the
rest of the army. Brasidas hoped that the Athenians would be distracted by his
own attack and demoralised when a second army appeared. Outside the city the
Athenians were increasingly aware of movement behind the gates. Cleon decided
to order his army to withdraw back to the coast to wait for reinforcements
before risking a battle. The left wing of the Athenian army moved first. The
right wing, with Cleon in personal command, then began to wheel around towards
the centre to join the retreat. During this movement their shields, which were
held on the left, were thus facing away from the gates of Amphipolis. Brasidas
realised that this was the moment to attack. He led his 150 men out of city
using a minor gate, and attacked the Athenian centre, which quickly collapsed.
Brasidas then turned on the Athenian right, while Clearidas brought the rest of
the army out of the city and joined the battle. Seeing the disaster that was
befalling the rest of the army the Athenian left, which was already some way
down the river, fled, leaving the right to fight alone. The fighting on the
Athenian right wing cost both commanders their lives. Brasidas was mortally
wounded during his attack on the right wing. He was taken from the battlefield
and survived for long enough to learn of his victory. He was later buried in
Amphipolis, where he was later commemorated as the founder of the city.
Thuycidides, who was always rather hostile to Cleon, records his death in less
flattering terms. Seeing that the battle was lost, he fled from the battlefield
and was killed by a Myrcinian peltast. The Athenian right attempted to make a
stand on a nearby hill. They were able to fight off two or three attacks by
Clearidas and his hoplites. They were less successful when Clearidas surrounded
them with light troops, cavalry and peltasts, who pelted them with missile
weapons. Under this bombardment the Athenian right also broke and fled. The
survivors of the disaster reached safety at Eion, but 600 Athenians had died
during the battle. According to Thucydides the Spartans and their allies only
lost seven men. The most significant result of the battle of Amphipolis was the
death of both Brasidas and Cleon, two of the more warlike leaders. With both
men removed from the scene the peace negotiations that had been going on since
the Spartan defeat at Sphacteria were successful, and in the following year the
Peace of Nicias temporarily ended the fighting.
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