Cleitus the White
Cleitus (Clitus) the White (
Life
After Alexander's death he reappears as commander of the
Macedonian fleet for Antipater in the Lamian War in 323 BC, and defeated the Athenian admiral, Euetion, in the Battle of Amorgos. He then went on to defeat the Athenian fleet a second time in the Battle of the Echinades. These defeats signalled the end of Athenian thalassocracy, and were decisive in the Macedonian victory in the war. In the distribution of provinces at Triparadisus in 321 BC, he obtained from Antipater (the new regent of the Empire) the satrapy of Lydia
.
Wars of the Diadochi
In 318 BC, at the start of the
Nicanor was sent against him by Antigonus and Cassander, a battle ensued near Byzantium, in which Cleitus gained a decisive victory. But his success rendered him overconfident, and, having allowed his troops to disembark and encamp on land, he was surprised by Antigonus and Nicanor, and lost all his ships except the one in which he sailed himself. Having reached the shore in safety, he proceeded towards Macedonia, but was slain by some soldiers of Lysimachus, with whom he fell in on the way.[2]
See also
References
- Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, "Cleitus (3)", Boston, (1867)
Notes
- Anabasis Alexandri, vii. 12
- ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca, xviii. 39, 52, 72
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Cleitus (3)". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.