Astyochus

Family: Lacedaemonians · Role: admiral · First appears: Book 8 · Chapter 24 · Part 4

At Eresus, after learning that the Athenians had taken Mitylene, Astyochus did not proceed there. He sent heavy infantry under Eteonicus to Antissa and Methymna, then, as his efforts in Lesbos failed, returned to Chios. There the Chian authorities brought him from Erythrae to consider how to stop a conspiracy, while Therimenes was entrusted with bringing Peloponnesian and Sicilian squadrons to him. At Clazomenae, Astyochus and Tamos ordered the Athenian party to move inland and join the Peloponnesians. Pedaritus refused Astyochus’s request for the Chian vessels and later denounced him at Lacedaemon as a traitor; Astyochus also refused the Chians’ request for assistance. After Therimenes handed him the fleet, Astyochus sacked Cos and plundered its country.

After the death of Chalcideus and the battle at Miletus, Lacedaemon ordered Astyochus to put Alcibiades to death, but he instead went to Alcibiades and Tissaphernes at Magnesia, disclosed a letter from Samos, and became an informer for Tissaphernes. When Phrynichus secretly warned him that Alcibiades was damaging their cause and offered an opportunity to destroy the Athenian force at Samos, Astyochus revealed both communications to Alcibiades.

Meanwhile, when sailors rushed at Astyochus over unpaid wages, he escaped to an altar. Mindarus arrived from Lacedaemon to succeed him as admiral and assumed command; Tissaphernes then sent Gaulites with Astyochus to complain about the Milesians and defend his conduct. Astyochus and the Milesians later sailed for Lacedaemon.