Leosthenes

Family: Athenians · Role: military commander · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 1

In Bœotia, Leosthenes, an Athenian commander, defeated the Macedonians and drove them into Lamia, shutting them up there. He was chosen generalissimo of the confederate Greek forces for his city’s renown and his reputation for experience in war; a painting by Arcesilaus depicted him with his sons.

After displaying greater exploits than expected, Leosthenes died, and his death brought dejection and contributed chiefly to the Greeks’ failure. He had been beforehand with Darius in conveying Greek mercenaries back to Europe in his ships; later, against Alexander’s wishes, he brought 50,000 Greeks who had served Persia safely back to Greece. In Book 8, Leosthenes and Aratus the son of Clinias were called “the benefactors of all Greece.”

Relationship record

Life events

• Leosthenes defeated the Macedonians twice and shut them up in Lamia.(Book 1 · Chapter 1 · 📍 Bœotia)
  • “that famous hero who at the head of the Athenians and all the Greeks defeated the Macedonians in battle in Bœotia, and again beyond Thermopylæ, and drove them into Lamia over against Mount Œta and shut them up there.”
• Leosthenes was chosen generalissimo of the confederate Greek forces.(Book 1 · Chapter 25)
  • “but the Athenian Leosthenes was chosen generalissimo, partly from his city’s renown, partly from his own reputation for experience in war.”
• Leosthenes died, causing widespread dejection and contributing chiefly to the Greeks’ failure.(Book 1 · Chapter 25)
  • “And now too, after having displayed more brilliant exploits than they expected, he infused dejection in all men by his death, and that was the chief reason of their failure.”
• Leosthenes brought 50,000 Greeks who had served Persia safely back to Greece.(Book 8 · Chapter 52 · 📍 Greece)
  • With: Alexander (opponent of Leosthenes)
  • “Leosthenes against the wishes of Alexander brought back safe to Greece in ships 50,000 Greeks who had served under the pay of Persia”

Book 1 · Chapter 1

• with Arcesilaus (Arcesilaus painted Leosthenes.) “Here, too, is a painting by Arcesilaus of Leosthenes and his sons”

Book 1 · Chapter 25

• with Darius (Leosthenes transported men who had served with Darius; the passage does not explicitly state that Leosthenes himself served Darius.) “those who had served for pay with Darius and the satraps, Leosthenes was beforehand with him and conveyed them back to Europe in his ships”

Book 8 · Chapter 52

• with Aratus the son of Clinias (Both are explicitly considered benefactors of Greece.) “I consider also Leosthenes and Aratus the benefactors of all Greece”
• with Alexander (opponent of Leosthenes) (Leosthenes acted against Alexander's wishes.) “Leosthenes against the wishes of Alexander brought back safe to Greece in ships 50,000 Greeks who had served under the pay of Persia”
• with Alexander (opponent of Leosthenes) (Leosthenes acted against Alexander's wishes.) “I consider also Leosthenes and Aratus the benefactors of all Greece, for Leosthenes against the wishes of Alexander brought back safe to Greece in ships 50,000 Greeks who had served under the pay of Persia.”

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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.