Philopoemen biography examples

Philopoemen remained in Crete and did not initially return to defend his homeland. Luckily for the Achaeans, a Roman force under Titus Quinctius Flaminius campaigned against the Spartans between and BCE and Nabis was forced to abandon many of his military gains. Nabis, now confident that he would not be attacked from the sea, retired one-third of his soldiers from Gytheum to make camp near Pleiae.

It was now that Philopoemen commenced what some historians consider the masterstroke of his military career. He sent a group of light-armed skirmishers — slingers, archers, and peltasts — in small boats to make an amphibious landing near the Spartan camp under the cover of darkness. From their landing point, they caught the Spartans completely unaware and set the camp alight by hurling firebrands at it.

The attack was thoroughly unconventional but effective. The war with Sparta ended with an Achaean victory.

Philopoemen biography examples

Nabis was murdered by a force of Aetolians meant to relieve him and Philopoemen promptly marched on Sparta and forced it to join the Achaean League. At the age of 70, Philopoemen was made general once again. Exhausted after years of campaigning, he hoped to spend his final years in peace. However, a rebellion against the Achaean League prompted him to lead an army against the rebels at the village of Colonis, despite being ill with fever.

During the battle, Philopoemen and his cavalry were caught off guard. He charged at the enemy several times to save his men, but he was unhorsed and captured. The veteran general was forced to drink poison and died in captivity. He is especially interested in WWI and how contemporary strategic practitioners can learn from military and political history.

Home Ancient History. Philopoemen: The Last Great General of Ancient Greece Philopoemen was an innovative and successful philopoemen biography examples of the Achaean League, regarded as the last great general of ancient Greece by his contemporaries. Get the latest articles delivered to your inbox Sign up to our Free Weekly Newsletter. Please check your inbox to activate your subscription Thank you!

Philopoemen Distinguishes Himself at Sellasia. Philopoemen Is Appointed Strategos. Cite this Article. Don't have an account? Sign in via your Institution. You could not be signed in, please check and try again. Sign in with your library card Please enter your library card number. Related Content. Show Summary Details Overview Philopoemen c.

Reference entries. All rights reserved. The Loeb Classical Library edition of the Lives is in eleven volumes. Table of Contents Title Page i prefatory note vii order of the parallel lives in this edition ix traditional order of the parallel lives x agis and cleomenes 2 tiberius and gaius gracchus comparison of agis and cleomenes and the gracchi philopoemen titus flamininus comparison of philopoemen and titus dictionary of proper names Bibliographic reference Plutarch.

Lives, Volume X: Agis and Cleomenes. Philopoemen and Flamininus. It agrees, in the main, with that of Plutarch. Philopoemen was born about b. Please wait, image is loading Harvard University Press. Sign in to annotate.