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The Battle of Amphipolis was a major battle of the Peloponnesian War which was fought in Macedonia in October 422 BC. The battle resulted in the deaths of the Spartan and Athenian war leaders Brasidas and Cleon, respectively, and the demoralization of both causes resulted in the short-lived Peace of Nicias in 421 BC.

Background[]

In 424 BC, in response to Athenian invasions of the Peloponnese from Pylos and Kythera, the Spartan general Brasidas was sent with an army of 700 helot hoplites and 1,000 mercenary hoplites to attack Athenian holdings in Thrace. His army foiled an Athenian attack on Megara during its northward march, passed through Thessaly, and linked up with Perdiccas II of Macedon, before capturing Acanthus on the Chalcidice in August of 424 BC. In the winter of 424-423 BC, at the same time as the Battle of Delium, Brasidas besieged the Athenian colony of Amphipolis, which was defended by the general Eucles. Eucles sent for reinforcements from the Athenian general Thucydides, but Brasidas persuaded the Amphipolitans to surrender by guaranteeing the protection of the property of those who would choose to remain in the city, and guaranteeing safe passage to those who chose to leave. Brasidas also captured the port of Eion and allied with local Thracian towns, enabling him to capture Torone as well. Thucydides was recalled to Athens, tried, and exiled for his failure to come to Amphipolis' aid, and the desperate Athenians concluded an armistice with Sparta, with both sides agreeing to remain in the territory which they had captured. However, Brasidas captured Scione and refused to give it back when news of the treaty arrived, and the demagogue Cleon was thence sent north to recapture Amphipolis.

Battle[]

In the autumn of 422 BC, Cleon arrived in Thrace with a force of 30 ships, 1,200 hoplites, and 300 cavalry, and he recaptured Torone and Scione. Brasidas assembled his 2,000 hoplites and 300 cavalry at Amphipolis, and he decided to attack Cleon before Athenian reinforcements could arrive. Cleon began to retreat rather than risk a disastrous pitched battle, but the retreat was badly arranged and the Spartans attacked their disorganized enemy. In the ensuing battle, the Spartans, aided by the mercenary Kassandra, routed the Athenian enemy. However, the Athenian warrior Alexios was able to kill Brasidas with his own spear before being wounded by a stray arrow fired by Cleon, who intended to kill Kassandra. Cleon then attempted to flee from his defeat, but he was cornered by Kassandra on a nearby beach, wounded after a short sword-fight, and drowned under Kassandra's heel in the shallow, muddy water.

Aftermath[]

The deaths of the Spartan and Athenian war leaders at Amphipolis led to both Sparta and Athens losing their will to continue the war. In March of 421 BC, the Peace of Nicias was signed by King Pleistoanax of Sparta and the Athenian general Nicias, with Athens retaining control of Nisaia and Thebes retaining control over Plataea; Amphipolis would be returned to Athens and Pylos to Sparta. Both sides would exchange their prisoners, temples across Greece would be open to worshippers from all cities, the oracle at Delphi would regain her autonomy, Athens would continue to collect tribute from the Delian League without forcing them to serve as allies, and Athens would aid Sparta in suppressing helot rebellions. However, Boeotia, Corinth, Elis, Megara, and Amphipolis opposed the treaty, and skirmishes continued uninterrupted until the peace deal was formally scrapped in 414 BC.

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