IPHICRATES, Athenian general, son of a shoemaker, flourished in the earlier half of the 4th century B.C. He is chiefly known for the use he made of lightly armed troops (peltasts) ; he increased the length of their weapons, and improved their mobility by reducing their defensive armour. He also paid special attention to discipline, drill and manoeuvres. With his peltasts Iphicrates seriously injured the allies of the Lacedaemonians in the Corinthian War, and in 392 (or 39o) dealt the Spartans a heavy blow by almost annihilating a battalion of hoplites (Diod. Sic. xiv. 91; Plutarch, Agesilaus, 22). He was later transferred from Corinth to the Hellespont, where he was equally successful. After the peace of Antalcidas (387) he assisted Seuthes, king of the Thracian Odrysae, to recover his kingdom. About 378 he was sent with a force of mercenaries to assist the Persians to reconquer Egypt ; but a dispute with Pharnabazus led to the failure of the expedition (Diod. Sic. xv. On his return to Athens he
commanded an expedition in 373 for the relief of Corcyra, which was besieged by the Lacedaemonians (Xenophon, Hellenica, vi. 2). On the peace of 371, Iphicrates returned to Thrace, and fought for Cotys in a war against Athens for the possession of the Chersonese. The Athenians, however, soon pardoned him and gave him a joint command in the Social War. He and two of his colleagues were impeached by Chares, the fourth commander, because they had refused to give battle during a violent storm. Iphicrates was heavily fined. He died about 353.