Clearidas

Family: Lacedaemonians · Role: commander in Amphipolis · First appears: Book 4 · Chapter 14 · Part 10

In Book 4, Brasidas placed Clearidas, son of Cleonymus, in command at Amphipolis. In Book 5, Brasidas stationed the rest of his forces there with him. When the Athenians attacked, Clearidas and Brasidas defeated them; afterward, Clearidas and his troops remained in Amphipolis to arrange matters.

When envoys Ischagoras, Menas and Philocharidas came to order him to hand Amphipolis over to the Athenians, Clearidas refused, saying he could not do so against the Chalcidians’ will. He went to Lacedaemon to defend his disobedience and seek a change to the agreement. Finding the Lacedaemonians bound by it, he returned with instructions to hand over the town if possible, or otherwise withdraw the Peloponnesians. That summer, he also brought back to Lacedaemon the soldiers who had gone to Thrace with Brasidas.