Pelopidas

Pelopidas

:"For the genus of grass skipper butterflies, see "Pelopidas (skipper).

Pelopidas (d. 364 BC) was a Theban statesman and general.

He was a member of a distinguished family, and possessed great wealth which he expended on his friends, while content to lead the life of an athlete. In 384 he served in a Theban contingent sent to the support of the Spartans at Mantineia, where he was saved, when dangerously wounded, by the Arcadians.

Upon the seizure of the Theban citadel by the Spartans (383 or 382) he fled to Athens, and took the lead in a conspiracy to liberate Thebes. In 379 his party surprised and killed their chief political opponents, and roused the people against the Spartan garrison, which surrendered to an army gathered by Pelopidas.

In this and subsequent years he was elected "boeotarch", and about 375 he routed a much larger Spartan force at the battle of Tegyra (near Orchomenus). This victory he owed mainly to the valour of the Sacred Band, an elite corps of 300 seasoned soldiers. At the battle of Leuctra (371) he contributed greatly to the success of Epaminondas's new tactics by the rapidity with which he made the Sacred Band close with the Spartans.

In 370 BC he accompanied his friend Epaminondas as "boeotarch" into Peloponnesus. On their return both generals were unsuccessfully accused of having retained their command beyond the legal term.

In 369, in response to a petition of the Thessalians, Pelopidas was sent with an army against Alexander of Pherae. After driving Alexander out, he passed into Macedon and arbitrated between two claimants to the throne. In order to secure the influence of Thebes, he brought home hostages, including the king's brother, afterwards Philip II.

Next year Pelopidas was again called upon to interfere in Macedonia, but, being deserted by his mercenaries, was compelled to make an agreement with Ptolemaeus of Alorus. On his return through Thessaly he was seized by Alexander of Pherae, and two expeditions from Thebes were needed to secure his release.

In 367 Pelopidas went on an embassy to the Persian king and induced him to prescribe a settlement of Greece according to the wishes of the Thebans. In 364 BC he received another appeal from the Thessalian towns against Alexander of Pherae. Though an eclipse of the sun prevented his bringing with him more than a handful of troops, he overthrew the tyrant's far superior force on the ridge of Cynoscephalae. However, wishing to slay Alexander with his own hand, he rushed forward too eagerly and was cut down by the tyrant’s guards.

References

*1911


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  • Pélopidas — (en grec ancien Πελοπίδας) est un stratège thébain né vers 420 av. J. C. dans une famille de la noblesse[1] et décédé en 364 av. J. C.[2]. Il devient pourtant le chef du parti populaire et son nom est associé à celui d Épaminondas qui fut son ami …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Pelopidas — Pélopidas Pélopidas (en grec ancien Πελοπίδας) est un stratège thébain né vers 420 dans une famille de la noblesse. Il devient pourtant le chef du parti populaire et son nom est associé à celui d Épaminondas qui fut son ami fidèle jusqu à sa mort …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Pelópidas — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Pelópidas (en griego antiguo Πελοπίδας) († 364 a. C.) fue un político y militar tebano. Biografía Fue miembro de una distinguida familia y dueño de una considerable fortuna que gastaba en sus amigos… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Pelopidas — (* um 410 v. Chr. im griechischen Theben; † 364 v. Chr. bei Kynoskephalai) war thebanischer Feldherr und Staatsmann. Er legte zusammen mit Epameinondas den Grundstein für die Vormachtstellung Thebens in Griechenland. 382 v. Chr. wurde er von den… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Pelopĭdas — Pelopĭdas, Sohn des Hippokles, edler u. reicher Thebaner, Freund des Epaminondas, mußte als Demokrat nach dem Siege der Oligarchen durch Hülfe der Spartaner, 383 v. Chr., aus seiner Vaterstadt fliehen u. fand Aufnahme in Athen. Nachdem von hier… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Pelopĭdas — Pelopĭdas, theban. Feldherr, Sohn des Hippokles, aus einer angesehenen und reichen Familie, floh als Anhänger der Patriotenpartei nach der Einnahme der Kadmeia durch Phöbidas (382 v. Chr.) und dem Sieg der Oligarchen nach Athen, kehrte im Herbst… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Pelopidas — Pelopĭdas, theban. Staatsmann und Feldherr, befreite 379 v. Chr. sein Vaterland von der spartan. Herrschaft, erfocht mit seinem Freunde Epaminondas den Sieg bei Leuktra (371), fiel 364 bei Kynoskephalä gegen den Tyrannen Alexander von Pherä …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Pelopidas — Pelopidas, vornehmer Thebaner, wurde als junger Mann von der oligarchischen Partei aus Theben vertrieben, sammelte die Verbannten und befreite mit ihnen seine Vaterstadt durch einen nächtlichen Handstreich. Neben seinem Freunde Epaminondas erwarb …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Pelopidas — Pelopidas,   griechisch Pelopịdas, thebanischer Heerführer und Politiker, ✝ (gefallen) Kynoskephalai 364 v. Chr.; 379 an der Befreiung der »Kadmeia«, der Burg Thebens, von spartanischer Besetzung beteiligt, von da an Freund und enger Mitarbeiter …   Universal-Lexikon

  • PELOPIDAS — Thebanus, vir clarissimus, ab inimicis, quibus virtutes eius invidiae erant, in exilium eiectus est. Cadmaeam a Phoebida Spartanorum, quorum factio ipsum patriâ expulerat, occupatam, Olympiad. 99. feliciter recepit, Epaminondae in omnibus… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Pelopidas — [pi läp′i dəs] died 364 B.C.; Theban general …   English World dictionary

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