Nicias, a famous Athenian statesman and general during the Peloponnesian war, was the son of Niceratus, a very wealthy citizen, who had acquired his fortune by working the silver-mines at Laurium. He belonged to the aristocratic party, and after the death of Pericles was the chief opponent of the demagogue Cleon, and later of Alcibiades. In 427 B.C. he captured the island of Minoa, next year he ravaged the island of Melos and the coasts of Locris, the next he compelled the Spartan force in Sphacteria to surrender, and defeated the Corinthians. In 424 he ravaged part of Laconia and captured the island of Cythera. After the death of Cleon he brought about a peace between the Spartans and Athenians, 421. Six years later the Athenians at the instigation of
Aicibiades resolved on a great naval expedition against Sicily. Nicias was appointed one of the commanders, although he had strongly protested against the undertaking. In the autumn of 415 he laid siege to Syracuse, and was at first successful, but subsequently experienced a series of disasters; his fleet was destroyed, and his troops began a retreat towards the interior of Sicily. They were speedily forced to surrender, and Nicias was put to death in 414. See the Histories of Thirlwall and Grote, and Plutarch's Life of Nicias (ed. by H. A. Holden, 1887).