Battle Of Aegospotami Essay

The Battle of Aegospotami occurred in 405 BC and was the battle that ended the Peloponnesian War. The Battle of the Arginusae Islands had happened a year before and had been a major Athenian victory. After the battle, six of the eight Athenian generals had been executed and the others had gone into exile. Conon, Adeimantus, and Philocles replaced them. The Spartans also required a new leader because their previous commander had been killed in the Battle of the Arginusae Islands. Lysander was a popular commander, but he had previously served in that position. It was not the Spartan custom to give someone the same post twice, so they made him second-in-command to Aracus. Lysander was, however, the one who was truly in charge. The most important Spartan figure of the battle was Lysander. Though he was second-in-command, Lysander was the real leader …show more content…
Lysander told the men whom he had sent to follow the Athenians back to their base, to signal to the rest of the Spartan fleet when the Athenians had scattered. When the Athenians had scattered (which they did very freely because they underestimated Lysander because of his hesitation) and were unprepared, Lysander and his fleet attacked them, capturing and destroying one hundred and seventy of the hundred and eighty ships of the Athenian fleet. With the Athenian forces obliterated it was obvious that the Spartans had won the battle. In the aftermath of the battle, Lysander sailed back to Lampsacus. He slaughtered 3,000 prisoners, along with Philocles. Lysander and his allies Corinth and the Peloponnesian League, then started towards Athens, conquering city after city along the way. Without its fleet, Athens and the Delian League were unable to resist the Spartan forces and each city gave way as Lysander advanced. However, the democratic government at Samos resisted defeat and refused to surrender. Lysander left a besieging force behind him to combat