LYSANDER, a Spartan, who roso to eminence towards the end of the Peloponnesian war, and was placed in command of the Lacedre inonian troops on the coast of Asia Minor, B.C. 407. Having about him little of the old Spartan severity, and being ready to sacrifice that personal and national pride and inflexibility, which were the peculiar characteristic of the Spartan institutions, to personal or national interests, he gained in an unusual degree the regard and confidence of his Persian allies. This be used to the best advantage, by seizing a favourable moment to obtain from the younger Cyrus, the Persian viceroy in Asia .Minor, in place of any personal advantage, the addition of an obelus daily (rather more than a penny) to every seaman in the Peloponnesian fleet. During his year s command he defeated the Athenian fleet, commanded by Autiochus, as lieutenant of Alcibiades, at Notium. In September n.c. 406, he was superseded by Callicra tides ; who was defeated and slain in the memorable battle of Arginusse. The allies then petitioned that Lysander might be re-ap pointed. It was contrary to Spartan law to entrust the fleet twice to the same person; but this difficulty was evaded by nominating another person commander-in-chief, and sending Lysander as lieutenant with the command in Asia. He soon justified the preference, by gaining the decisive victory of iEgospotami, in tho Hellespont, where 170 Athenian ships were taken. This iu effect finished the war. Receiving as ho went the submission of her allies, Lysander proceeded leisurely to Athens, and blockaded the ports, while the Spartan kings marched into Attica and invested the city, which, uuassaulted, was reduced by the sure process of famine. The capitulation being
settled, B.O. 404, Lysander had the proud satisfaction of entering as a victor the Piraeus, unviolated by the presence of an enemy since the Persian invasion.
His services and reputation gained for him a corresponding weight in Sparta ; and on occasion of the contested succession his influence was powerful in raising Agcsilaus to the throne. He accompanied that eminent statesman and soldier during his first campaign in Asia, where his popularity and renown threw his superior into the shade; and an estrangement resulted, in which Lysander behaved with temper and wisdom. About B.O. 396 he returned to Sparta. In the following year, on occasion of a quarrel with Thebes, he was sent into Phocis, to collect contingents from the northern allies—a task for which hie name and popularity rendered him peculiarly fit. Having done this, and being on his way to join the Lacedremouian army, he was taken by surprise, and slain by the Thebans at Hallartus in Bceotia. The force which he had collected dispersed; and the war came at once to an end, with no credit to the Lacedeemonians, B.o. 395.
It is said that, urged by ambitious hopes, be meditated a scheme for abolishing the hereditary right of the descendants of Hercules, and rendering the Spartau throne elective, and that he had tampered largely with different oracles to promote this scheme. The contemporary Xenophon however makes no mention of this rumour. This subject has been discussed by Mr. Thirlwall in an appendix to his fourth volume of the 'History of Greece.' [ALCIBIADES; AOESILAUS.]