Lysander,

Lysander, a famous Spartan warrior and naval commander, of extraordinary energy and military skill, but not less remarkable for the cunning, revenge, and ambition by which he was characterised. He spent part of his youth at the court of Cyrus the Younger, and in 407 B.C. was appointed to the command of the Spartan fleet, from which time he constantly prosecuted the design of overthrowing the Athenian power, in order to exalt that of Sparta. He defeated the Athenian fleet at the promontory of Notium; and, being again entrusted with the management of the fleet after the defeat of his successor, Callieratidas (405 B.C.), he was again victorious. He swept the southern part of the Ægean, and made descents upon both the Greek and the Asiatic coasts. He then sailed north to the Hellespont, and anchored at Lampsacus. An immense Athenian fleet soon made its appearance at Ægospotami, on the opposite side of the straits, amounting to 180 ships. Of these, 171 were captured by Lysander a few days after. The blow to Athens was tremendous. Everywhere her colonial garrisons had to surrender, and Spartan influence predominated. Finally, in 404 B.C., he took Athens itself. His popularity now became so great, especially in the cities of Asia Minor, that the Spartan ephors dreaded the consequences, especially as they knew how ambitious he was. Every means was taken to thwart his designs, until finally it would appear that he had resolved to attempt the overthrow of the Spartan constitution; but this scheme was prevented by his death at the battle of Haliartus in the Boeotian war (395 B.C.). His Life was written by Plutarch and by Cornelius Nepos.