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Timotheus ( died 354) was a Greek statesman
and general who sought to revive Athenian imperial ambitions by making Athens
dominant in a Second Athenian League. He was the son of the Athenian general,
Conon. Isocrates considered
that Timotheus was superior to the other commanders of his time and showed all
the requisites and abilities of a good general. Nepos lists him among the great commanders.
Strategos:
From 378 to 356, Timotheus frequently held command as "strategos" in
the wars between Athens (in alliance with Thebes), and Sparta. At this time,
Athens' ambition was to revive the
Delian League and to
regain command of the sea. In 375, during the Boeotian War, Timotheus was sent with a fleet to
sail round Peloponnesus by way of a demonstration of Athens' power against
Sparta. He persuaded Cephallenia to side with Athens and secured the friendship
of the Acarnanians and Molossians. In 373 Timotheus was appointed to the
command of a fleet for the relief of Corcyra, then beleaguered by the Spartans.
But his ships were not fully manned, and to increase their manpower he cruised
in the Aegean. The delay upset the Athenians, who brought him to trial; but,
thanks to the intervention of his allies - Jason,
tyrant of Pherae, and Alcetas I of Epirus, King of the Molossians, both of whom
went to Athens to plead his cause - he was acquitted. In way of support,
Amyntas, King of Macedon, sent timber to Timeotheus' house in the Piraeus. Upon
his acquittal, he went to sea with his fleet and captured Corcyra and then
defeated the Spartans at sea off Alyzia (Acarnania). However, with little money
to his name – for he had used his own funds to build up the Athenian fleet
– he left Athens and took service with the king of Persia as a mercenary.
Asia Minor Having returned to Athens, in 366 BC he was sent to support
Ariobarzanes, satrap
of Phrygia. But, finding that the satrap was in open rebellion against Persia
(Revolt of the Satraps), Timotheus, in line with his instructions, abstained
from helping him and rather used his army against Samos, then occupied by a
Persian garrison, and took it after a ten months' siege (366 -365). He then
took Sestus, Crithote, Torone, Potidaea, Methone, Pydna and many other cities;
but two attempts to capture Amphipolis failed.
Court case:
An action was brought against him by Apollodorus, the son of the banker Pasion,
for the return of money lent by his father. The speech for the plaintiff is
still extant, and is attributed to Demosthenes (see also Pseudo-Demosthenes).
It is interesting as it describes the manner in which Timotheus had exhausted
the large fortune inherited from his father and the straits to which he was
reduced by his sacrifices in the public cause.
The Social War:
In 358 or 357, an Athenian force, in response to a spirited appeal from
Timotheus, crossed over to Euboea and expelled the Thebans in three days. In
the course of the Social War Timotheus was dispatched with
Iphicrates, Menestheus,
son of Iphicrates, and Chares to put down the revolt.
The hostile fleets sighted each other in the Hellespont; but a gale was
blowing, and Iphicrates and Timotheus decided not to engage. Chares,
disregarding the advice of his colleagues, lost many ships.
Final years:
In his dispatches after the battle, Chares complained so bitterly about
Iphicrates and Timotheus that the Athenians put them on their trial. The
accusers were Chares and Aristophon. Iphicrates, who had fewer enemies than
Timotheus, was acquitted; but Timotheus, who had always been disliked for his
perceived arrogance, was condemned to pay a very heavy fine. Being unable to
pay, he withdrew to Chalcis, where he died soon afterwards. The Athenians later
showed their sorrow over the treatment of Timotheus by forgiving the greater
part of the fine that had passed onto his son Conon to pay. Timotheus was
buried in the Ceramicus and statues were erected to his memory in the Agora and
the Acropolis.
Reputation:
Timotheus inspired much jealousy among his rivals, his reputation somewhat
tarnished by the record of his final years. Claudius Aelianus sums up much of
the negative perception of Timotheus' generalship. Note that the Athenian
general Timotheus was reckoned to be fortunate. People said fortune was
responsible, and Timotheus had no part in it. They ridiculed him on the stage,
and painters portrayed him asleep, with Tykhe (Fortune) hovering above his head
and pulling the cities into her net. This commentary is balanced by the
credible picture (presented by Isocrates) of a skilled and cautious general,
magnanimous victor and low-key diplomat.
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