Lysander
Lysander | |
|---|---|
Lysander outside the walls of Athens, ordering their destruction. 19th century lithograph. | |
| Native name | Λύσανδρος |
| Born | c. 454 BC |
| Died | 395 BC (aged c. 59) |
| Allegiance | Sparta |
| Rank | Navarch |
| Conflicts | |
Lysander (/laɪˈsændər, ˈlaɪˌsændər/; Ancient Greek: Λύσανδρος Lysandros; c. 454 BC – 395 BC) was a Spartan commander and statesman who was one of the leading military and political leaders of Sparta during the Peloponnesian Wars. He destroyed the Athenian fleet at the Battle of Aegospotami in 405 BC, forcing Athens to capitulate and bringing the Peloponnesian Wars to an end. He then played a key role in Sparta's domination of Greece for the next decade until his death at the Battle of Haliartus.
Lysander's vision for Sparta differed from most Spartans; he wanted to overthrow the Athenian Empire and replace it with Spartan hegemony.