31 Facts About Thrasybulus

Thrasybulus was an Athenian general and democratic leader.

In 411 and 410, Thrasybulus was in command along with Alcibiades and others at several critical Athenian naval victories.

Thrasybulus was killed in 388 BC while leading an Athenian naval force during the Corinthian War.

Thrasybulus's father was named Lycus, and he was a native of the deme of Steiria in Athens.

Thrasybulus was probably born between 455 and 441 BC, although dates as late as the later 430s BC have been suggested.

Thrasybulus was a proponent of Athenian imperialism and expansionism and a strong supporter of Periclean democracy.

Donald Kagan has suggested that Thrasybulus was one of the founding members of the scheme and was willing to support moderate oligarchy, but was alienated by the extreme actions taken by the plotters.

One of the first actions Thrasybulus took as general was to bring about the recall of Alcibiades, a policy that he had supported since before the coup.

Shortly afterwards Thrasybulus again commanded a wing of the Athenian fleet at the Battle of Abydos, another Athenian victory.

Thrasybulus was again in command of a squadron of the Athenian fleet at the Battle of Cyzicus, a stunning Athenian victory.

The Spartans with the assistance of a Persian army, began to drive this Athenian force into the sea; seeing this, Thrasybulus landed his own force to temporarily relieve pressure on Alcibiades, and meanwhile ordered Theramenes to join up with Athenian land forces nearby and bring them to reinforce the sailors and marines on the beach.

In 409 and 408, Thrasybulus remained in command, but his actions are difficult to trace.

Thrasybulus appears to have spent much of the time campaigning in Thrace, recapturing cities for the empire and restoring the flow of tribute from the region.

Thrasybulus was either removed from command on the spot by Alcibiades or not reelected at the end of his term; either way, he was out of office from then until the end of the war.

Thrasybulus did return to action at the Battle of Arginusae in 406 BC.

Thrasybulus had been one of the first to oppose the oligarchy and had been exiled to Thebes shortly after its rise to power.

Five days later, Thrasybulus led his force, which had already grown to the point that he could leave 200 men at Phyle while taking 1,000 with him, to Piraeus, the port of Athens.

New leaders were selected, but were unable to deal with Thrasybulus, and were forced to send to Sparta for help.

In power, Thrasybulus pushed through a law which pardoned all but a few of the oligarchs, preventing a brutal reprisal by the victorious democrats.

Thrasybulus seems to have advocated a more radically democratic policy than the populace was willing to accept at the time; he called for reinstating pay for political service, and sought to extend citizenship to all the metics and foreigners who had fought alongside him against the Thirty.

Thrasybulus was initially cautious about offending Sparta, but, when Persian support became available at the start of the Corinthian War, he became an advocate of aggressive action, and about this time seems to have regained his preeminence in Athenian politics.

Thrasybulus initiated the rebuilding of the Long Walls, which had been demolished at the end of the Peloponnesian War, and commanded the Athenian contingents at Nemea and Coronea; these two defeats damaged his political stature, and he was replaced at the head of the state by Conon, whose victory at Cnidus had ended Sparta's dreams of naval empire.

Thrasybulus largely faded from view for several years as Conon led the Athenian fleet to a series of victories, but in 392 BC Conon was imprisoned by the Persian satrap Tiribazus while attending a peace conference at Sardis; although released, he died in Cyprus without returning to Athens.

Thrasybulus, leading the faction that sought to reject the peace offer, regained his position atop Athenian politics.

In retaliation, the Aspendians raided the Athenian camp by night; Thrasybulus was killed in his tent.

The gains that Thrasybulus made on this campaign were soon reversed by Persian intervention.

Thrasybulus has been widely recognized as a successful military commander.

Thrasybulus was one of the few prominent citizens whom the Samians trusted to defend their democracy, and whom the fleet selected to lead it through the troubled time of conflict with the 400.

Later, in his opposition to the Thirty Tyrants, Thrasybulus risked his life when few others would, and his actions were responsible for the quick restoration of democracy.

Thrasybulus has been criticized by modern historians for failing to recognize that Athens in the 4th century BC could not sustain an imperial policy.

Thrasybulus was a capable general, particularly successful in naval warfare, and a competent speaker, but was frequently overshadowed or pushed aside by more charismatic or spectacularly successful leaders.