16 Facts About Cleon

Cleon was an Athenian general during the Peloponnesian War.

Cleon was the first prominent representative of the commercial class in Athenian politics, although he was an aristocrat himself.

Cleon strongly advocated for an offensive war strategy and is remembered for being ruthless in carrying out his policies.

Cleon was often depicted in a negative way, predominantly by Thucydides and the comedic playwright Aristophanes, who both represent him as an unscrupulous, warmongering demagogue.

Cleon first came to notice as an opponent of Pericles in the late 430s BC through his opposition to Pericles' strategy of refusing battle against the Peloponnesian League invaders in 431 BC.

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Hitherto Cleon had only been a vigorous opposition speaker, a trenchant critic and accuser of state officials, but he came forward as the professed champion and leader of the democracy and rapidly came to dominate Athenian politics.

Cleon strengthened his support amongst the poorer citizens by increasing the pay for jury work, which provided a livelihood for many of the poorer Athenians.

In 426 BC, Cleon brought an unsuccessful prosecution against Laches based on his generalship in the unsuccessful first Sicilian expedition.

Cleon's ruling principles were an inveterate hatred of the nobility, and an equal hatred of Sparta.

Cleon insisted upon Athenian security via strategic possession of territories rather than by Spartan goodwill.

In 427 BC, Cleon urged his Athenian countrymen to put to death the whole adult male population of Mytilene, which had put itself at the head of a revolt.

In 425 BC, Cleon reached the summit of his fame by capturing and transporting to Athens the Spartans who had been blockaded at the Battle of Sphacteria.

Cleon was killed by a peltast when his army was routed at the Battle of Amphipolis.

Character of Cleon is represented by Aristophanes and Thucydides in a very unfavourable light.

Cleon's influence lay in his forceful and bullying style of oratory, anti-intellectual and anti-aristocratic in tone, and his populism.

Cleon seems to have aimed at short-term goals, but Athens' poor stood to benefit by his policies, at the expense of heavy taxes levied onto her allies.