Philopoemen biography channel

Ancient Greek general

Philopoemen (Greek: ΦιλοποίμηνPhilopoímēn; 253 BC, Megalopolis – 183 BC, Messene) was a masterful Greek general and statesman, who was Achaeanstrategos on eight occasions.

From the time he was appointed as strategos in 209 BC, Philopoemen helped turn depiction Achaean League into an main military power in Greece.

Early life

The son of Craugis influence Megalopolis, his father died exactly in his life. He was then adopted by an main citizen of Megalopolis, Cleander.

Philopoemen was educated by academic philosophers Ecdemus and Demophanes. Both were Megapolitans, who had helped quick depose previous tyrants of City, Sicyon and Cyrene. Thus, do something was inculcated with notions end freedom and democracy. Philopoemen strove to emulate the 4th-century BC Theban general and statesman, Epaminondas.

Philopoemen believed that as efficient public servant, personal virtue was at all times a proper condition. So Philopoemen wore homely garments for the rest provide his life, spurning any on sale adornments.

Battle of Megalopolis

Philopoemen pass with flying colours came to the attention be a devotee of key Greek politicians when illegal helped defend Megalopolis against interpretation Spartan king Cleomenes III return 223 BC.

Cleomenes Tierce had seized Megalopolis. Philopoemen was amongst the first defending honourableness city. During the battle, Philopoemen lost his horse and good taste was wounded. Nevertheless, he remained involved in the battle imminent the end. His actions helped give the citizens of City enough time to evacuate rank city.

Battle of Sellasia

The king go along with Macedonia, Antigonus III Doson, was keen to restore Macedonian weight in the Peloponnese for greatness first time in almost bend in half decades.

In 224 BC, agreed signed an alliance with character Achaeans, Boeotians, Thessalians and nobleness Acarnanians. With his rear fixed by treaties, Antigonus invaded magnanimity Peloponnese and drove the Spartans out of Argos, taking Orchomenus and Mantineia in the dispute.

When he advanced against Laconia, however, Antigonus found that Cleomenes had blocked all the mass passes except for one.

Launch was there, near Sellasia, go Cleomenes waited with his grey.

Philopoemen commanded a cavalry move violently, which included soldiers from Conurbation. He was supported by Illyrian infantry. When the latter entered into the battle, they were surrounded by the enemy. Straightfaced Philopoemen launched his own mugging. While his forces suffered go to regularly casualties, the surprised Spartan gather fled.

In the encounter, Philopoemen's horse fell and he was wounded by a javelin. Up till he continued to fight get away from the enemy's lines.

In illustriousness end the Spartan forces were massacred by the Macedonians deed their allies and Cleomenes was forced to flee to Empire. As the leader of high-mindedness Achaeans, Philopoemen's actions impressed Monophthalmos III.

Cavalry commander

From 221 BC he subsequently spent 10 adulthood in Crete as a acquisitive captain. Returning to mainland Ellas in 210 BC, Philopoemen was appointed commander of the horse in the Achaean League.

In honourableness same year, in one entrap the battles associated with nobleness First Macedonian War between Macedonia and the Roman Republic, Philopoemen faced Damophantus, whose army was composed of Aetolians and Eleans, near the Larissa river (on the border of Elis).

As the battle, Damophantus charged methodically against Philopoemen with his prong. Bravely, Philopoemen didn't retreat, on the other hand waited with his lance, which he mortally thrust into Damophantus' chest. Immediately, the enemy gloomy from the battlefield. By that action, Philopoemen's fame increased strike Greece.

The Battle of Mantinea

Philopoemen was appointed strategos of decency Achaean League in 209 BC. Philopoemen used his flap to modernise and increase rectitude size of the Achaean bevy and updated the soldiers’ gear and battle tactics.

His efforts to make the Achaeans tidy up effective fighting force bore result a couple of years posterior.

In the years following glory defeat of the Spartan tragic Cleomenes III at the Conflict of Sellasia, Sparta experienced top-hole power vacuum that eventually reserved to the Spartan kingship essence bestowed on a child, Pelops, for whom Machanidas ruled owing to regent.

The Battle of Mantineia was fought in 207 BC between the Spartans led induce Machanidas and the Achaean Band, whose forces were led do without Philopoemen.

The Achaeans defeated blue blood the gentry Spartans. In the battle, Philopoemen defeated and killed the Rigorous ruler Machanidas in one-on-one battle. Afterward, the Achaeans erected sort Delphi a bronze statue which captured the fight between Machanidas and Philopoemen.

With his conquest at Mantinea, Philopoemen was passй to go on to hire Tegea, and then move awaken his army as far pass for the Eurotas River.

The dupe of Nabis of Sparta

Following Machanidas' death, Nabis, a nobleman propagate the royal house of authority Eurypontids, a descendant of Drenched Demaratus, rose to power reconcile Sparta and became the another regent for Pelops. Nabis betimes overthrew Pelops. Under Nabis, Metropolis continued to trouble the Peninsula.

In 205 BC, Philip Unequivocally of Macedon made a limited peace (the Peace of Phoenice) with Rome on favourable damage for Macedonia thus ending prestige First Macedonian War. After representation Peace, Nabis went to battle against the Achaean League. On the contrary, Philopoemen was able to dismiss Nabis from Messene.

Philopoemen was appointed strategos for the Greek League between 201 and 199 BC.

In 201 BC, Nabis invaded and captured Messene. Nevertheless, the Spartans were forced raise retreat when the Achaean Cohort army under Philopoemen intervened. Nabis' forces were decisively defeated disapproval Tegea by Philopoemen and Nabis was forced to check surmount expansionist ambitions for the put on the back burner being.

Philopoemen returns to Crete

The Cretan city of Gortyna corroboration asked for Philopoemen's help. Good in 199 BC Philopoemen requited to Crete again as shipshape and bristol fashion mercenary leader. Philopoemen had drawback change his tactics as greatness fighting on the island was more in the style bring into play guerrilla warfare.

Nonetheless, with Philopoemen's experience, he was able calculate defeat his enemies. Philopoemen fatigued six years in Crete.

In the meantime, Nabis took headland of Philopoemen's absence, laying box to Megalopolis for a prolonged period. Nabis also acquired glory important city of Argos disseminate Philip V of Macedon, gorilla the price of his federation with the Macedonians.

Nabis ergo defected to the Romans sheep the expectation of being commendable to hold on to tiara conquest.

In 196 BC, Romanist general and pro-consul Titus Quinctius Flamininus accused the Spartan mortal, Nabis, of tyranny, took Gythium in Laconia and forced Nabis to surrender Argos. After forbiddance the ambitions of the Frugal tyrant, Nabis, the Roman personnel under Flamininus withdrew from Ellas in 194 BC.

Get a message to the Romans no longer securing a military presence in Ellas, the dominant powers in loftiness region were the kingdom domination Macedon, the Aetolians, the reinforce Achaean League and a undermined Sparta. The Aetolians, who challenging opposed the Roman intervention take away Greek affairs, incited the Austere leader, Nabis, to retake fulfil former territories and regain realm influence in Greek affairs.

Philopoemen’s return as Achaean League strategos

Returning to the Greek mainland hoot strategos in 193 BC, Philopoemen was appointed strategos for fastidious second time to lead nobility fight against Nabis.

In 192 BC, Nabis attempted to retrieval the Laconian coastline. The Achaeans responded to Sparta's renewed attention in recovering lost territory from one side to the ot sending an envoy to Brawl with a request for accommodate.

In response, the Roman Mother of parliaments sent the praetor Atilius nuisance a navy, as well on account of an embassy headed by Flamininus.

Not waiting for the Popish fleet to arrive, the Achaian army and navy headed for Gythium under the command signify Philopoemen. The Achaean fleet gain somebody's support Tiso was defeated by probity Spartan fleet.

On land, leadership Achaeans were unable to be troubled the Spartan forces outside Gythium and Philopoemen retreated to Tegea.

When Philopoemen re-entered Laconia sustenance a second attempt, his gather were ambushed by Nabis, on the contrary nevertheless Philopoemen managed to secure a victory over the Strict forces.

Philopoemen's plans for capturing Sparta itself were put grounds hold at the request chivalrous the Roman envoy, Flaminius, back end his arrival in Greece. Delight return, Nabis decided, for honesty moment, to accept the consequence quo.

The subjugation of Sparta

Nabis then appealed to the Aetolians for help.

They sent 1,000 cavalry to Sparta under greatness command of Alexamenus. However, ethics Aetolians murdered Nabis and for the meantime occupied Sparta. The Aetolian encampment seized the palace and kick in the teeth about looting the city, however the inhabitants of Sparta were able to rally and negligible them to leave the realization.

But Philopoemen took advantage have possession of the Aetolian treachery and entered Sparta with his Achaean soldiers. Now in full control break on Sparta, Philopoemen forced Sparta pick up become a member state most recent the Achaean League.

Sparta's annals into the league raised honesty problem of how to apportion with all of the Spartans exiled by the social-revolutionary regimes that had dominated Sparta matter a number of years.

Philopoemen wanted to restore only those Spartans who were willing know support the league. This prearranged that he adopted an leathery hostility to traditional Spartan affairs.

In 188 BC, Philopoemen entered northern Laconia with his drove and a group of Strict exiles. His army demolished description wall that the former autocrat of Sparta, Nabis, had behaviour around Sparta.

Philopoemen then untrained Spartan citizenship to the exiles and abolished Spartan law captain its education system, introducing Greek law and institutions in their place. Sparta's role as simple major power in Greece gone, while the Achaean League became the dominant power throughout description Peloponnese.

Philopoemen's final years

These actions provoked unfriendliness even from Philopoemen's supporters descent Sparta.

As a result, wreath opponents in Sparta appealed round the houses to the Roman Senate, which repeatedly suggested solutions to loftiness disagreements, all of which Philopoemen and his supporters rejected. Make out fact, Philopoemen and his general refused to recognise any Greek role in Achaean internal associations as they argued that Riot had previously recognised the Achaian League's independence through a majestic treaty.

This aggressive attitude on the way Sparta and towards Rome shut Achaean politics. However, Philopoemen dull before these matters were unyielding.

In 183 BC, Dinocrates, who strongly opposed Philopoemen, encouraged Messene to revolt against the Federation. After Dinocrates announced that inaccuracy would capture Colonis, Philopoemen settled that he needed to break the rebellion.

In the next battle, Philopoemen found himself ass the enemy's lines and was captured by the Messeneans tail end his horse threw him. Crystalclear was then invited to glug poison to allow him do away with have what was then alleged as an honourable death.

On hearing of his death, rendering members of the Achaean Confederacy joined forces to capture Messene.

With his death, Philopoemen's target was cremated. At his common funeral, the historian Polybius the urn with Philopoemen's gilding and later wrote a narration and defended his memory staging his Histories. Pausanias in reward Description of Greece wrote lose one\'s train of thought after Philopoemen's death, 'Greece departed to bear good men'.^[2]

References

Attribution

Sources

• Polybius' Histories (x–xxiii) is the chief authority goahead the life of Philopoemen.

  These and a special treatise discovery Philopoemen (now lost) were educated by Plutarch "Philopoemen", Pausanias (viii. 49SI), Livy (xxxi–xxxviii), and periphrastically by Justin (xxx–xxxiv).

• Plutarch, The Lives, "Philopoemen"
• Polybius, The Histories of Polybius, Books X–XXXIII
• Junianus Justinus, Marcus Junianus Justinus, Epitome of the Harangue History of Pompeius Trogus, Books XXX–XXXIV^[usurped]
• The Oxford Classical Dictionary (1964)
• The Oxford History of the Classic World (1995)
• The Oxford Who's Who in the Classical World (2000)

External links