- Antalcidas
Antalcidas ( _el. Ανταλκίδας) was a
Sparta n soldier and diplomat, the son of Leon.In 393 (or 392) BC he was sent to
Tiribazus , Persiansatrap ofSardis , to undermine the friendly relations then existing betweenAthens and Persia, offering to recognize Persian claims to the whole ofAsia Minor and supremacy over Greek cities there.The Athenians sent an embassy under
Conon to counteract his efforts. Tiribazus, who was favourable to Sparta, threw Conon into prison, butArtaxerxes II (Mnemon) disapproved and recalled his satrap.In 388 BC Antalcidas, then commander of the navy went to the active assistance of Persia against Athens. The success of his naval operations in the neighbourhood of the
Hellespont was such thatAthens was glad to accept terms of peace (thePeace of Antalcidas ), by which:#the whole of Asia Minor, with the islands of
Clazomenae andCyprus , was recognized as subject to Persia
#all other Greek cities -- so far they were not under Persian rule -- were to be independent, exceptLemnos , Imbros and Scyros, which were to belong, as formerly, to the Athenians.The terms were announced to the Greek envoys at Sardis in the winter of 387/386 BC, and were finally accepted by Sparta in 386. Antalcidas continued in favour with Artaxerxes, until the annihilation of Spartan supremacy after the
Battle of Leuctra diminished his influence.A final mission to Persia, probably in 367, was a failure, and Antalcidas, deeply chagrined and fearful of the consequences, is said to have starved himself to death.
References
*1911
* This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 edition of "The New Century Book of Facts" published by the King-Richardson Company, Springfield, Massachusetts.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
