BRASIDAS, Spartan general who distin guished himself in the first half of the Pelo ponnesian War by his courage and his military skill: d. 422 a. c. He first distinguished him self by repelling the attack of the Athenians on the fortress of Methone (431 a.c.). In 429 he was sent to assist Cnemus and participated in the unsuccessful attack on the Piraeus; in 427 accompanied the admiral Alcides to Corcyra; in 425 was severely wounded in the assault on Pylos; and subsequently was elected by his fellow-countrymen to be the leader of an ex pedition intended to carry the war into Thrace. In 424 be relieved Megara, and passing through Thessaly effected a junction with Perdiccas of Macedon. Within a short time he had gained possession of Arrhibmus, Acanthus, Stagira, Amphipolis, Torone and Scione. In 423 a truce was agreed upon, and in the same year Mende revolted and Brasidas immediately seized the town. The Athenians had, however, sent a new armament into the field consisting of two armies, and Brasidas, receiving no re inforcements from Sparta, was later forced to surrender the town to one of these armies.
Cleon, the leader of the second army, allowed himself to be drawn into a battle at Amphipolis, and was totally defeated, he himself being in the number of the slain. But the Spartan vic tory was purchased with the loss of their gen eral, who received a fatal wound during the engagement. Brasidas was buried at Amphip olis, within the walls, and long after his death his memory was honored as that of a hero, by the celebration of yearly sacrifices and games. The Greek writers speak highly of Brasidas. Thucydides notices his eloquence, unusual in a Spartan, his justice, liberality and wisdom, while Plato compares him to Achilles; but cir cumstances show that he was endowed with as much Spartan duplicity as Spartan courage.