Navarch (Sparta)
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The navarch (
History and role
The powers of the navarch were extensive and were not subordinate to the two Spartan kings.[1] The navarch commanded the fleet, but could also lead his embarked troops on land, performed the sacrifices, distributed wages and booty, negotiated with foreign states, and even administered the territories he captured.[2][3] An ambitious man such as Lysander could therefore yield formidable influence in Sparta through his time as navarch at the end of the Peloponnesian War (431–404).[4] As a result, Aristotle rightly described the navarchy as another kingship.[5][6][7] Indeed, the navarch's powers were probably taken away from the kings at some point during the 6th century, because they had no authority on the sea. For example, Herodotus writes that in 480 king Leotychidas was also navarch at the Battle of Salamis, so it means he had to be navarch to be able to command the fleet.[8]
Herodotus' description of Leotychidas as navarch in 480 is furthermore the first mention of the navarchy in the sources, but it was likely created earlier, perhaps in 512 for the first attack of Sparta against Athens by Anchimolus, likely the first navarch.[9][10][11] In the beginning the office was probably irregular and no navarch was appointed for most of the Pentecontaetia (479–431), as the Spartans did not launch any navy during this period.[6] In addition, the navarch was not a yearly magistrate; it depended on the mission given, because Cnemus—the first navarch of the Peloponnesian War—was elected in summer 430, but remained in power for more than 12 months, until the winter of 429/428.[12]
Following the
It seems the navarchy disappeared after the catastrophic defeat of Leuctra in 371.[1]
| Year | Name | Service |
|---|---|---|
| c.512 | Anchimolus | Commanded an expedition against the Athenian tyrant Hippias[10][11] |
| 481/480 | Eurybiades | Commanded at the battles of Artemision and Salamis.[10] |
| 480/479 | Leotychidas II | Also king of Sparta.[10] |
| 479/478 | Pausanias | Also Spartan regent. Removed from command for medism.[18] |
| 478/477 | Dorcis | Replaced Pausanias, but his command was rejected by the Greek allies.[19][20] |
| 430–429/428 | Cnemus | Led an expedition against Zakynthos, then the Acarnanians, but was defeated twice.[21] |
| 427 | Alkidas | Brasidas was appointed as his adviser.[22] |
| 426/425 | Thrasymelidas | |
| 413/412 | Melancridas | |
| 412/411 | Astyochus | Relieved from command for incompetence.[23] |
| 411/410 | Mindarus | |
| 410/409 | Pasippidas | Condemned for his dealings with the Persian satrap Tissaphernes.[15] |
| 409/408 | Cratesippidas | |
| 408/407[24] | Lysander | |
| 407/406 | Callicratidas | Died during the battle of Arginusae.[25] |
| 406/405 | Eteonicus | |
| 405/404 | Aracus | Lysander served as his secretary. |
| 404/403 | Libys | Brother of Lysander.[26] |
| 403/402 | Panthoidas? | |
| 402/401 | Samius | Sent to help the Ionian cities that revolted against Persia.[27] |
| 401/400 | Anaxibius | |
| 398/397 | Pharax[28] | |
| 397/396 | Archelaidas | |
| 396/395 | Pollis | |
| 395/394 | Cheiricrates | |
| 394/393 | Podanemus | |
| 393/392 | Herippidas? | |
| 392/391 | Teleutias[15] | First term. Half-brother of Agesilaus II.[29] |
| 391/390 | Ekdicus | |
| 390/389 | Teleutias[15] | Second term. |
| 389/388 | Hierax | |
| 388/387 | Antalcidas | Drafted the Peace of Antalcidas with Persia.[30] |
| 387/386 | Teleutias | Third term. |
| 377/376 | Pollis | Perhaps an homonym of the navarch of 396/395.[13] |
| 376/375 | Nicolochus | |
| 375/374 | Aristocrates | |
| 374/373 | Alcidas | |
| 373/372 | Mnasippus |
References
- ^ a b c Thommen, "Xenophon und die spartanische Nauarchie", p. 314.
- ^ Sealey, "Die spartanische Nauarchie", p. 341.
- ^ Cartledge, Agesilaos, p. 81.
- ^ Cartledge, Agesilaos, pp. 81, 82.
- ^ Aristotle, Politics, ii. 1271a § 37–41.
- ^ a b Sealey, "Die spartanische Nauarchie", p. 337.
- ^ Cartledge, Agesilaos, p. 80.
- ^ Sealey, "Die spartanische Nauarchie", pp. 339, 340.
- ^ Thommen, "Xenophon und die spartanische Nauarchie", p. 313.
- ^ a b c d Sealey, "Die spartanische Nauarchie", pp. 339–340.
- ^ a b Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia, p. 126.
- ^ Sealey, "Die spartanische Nauarchie", pp. 341, 342.
- ^ a b c Cartledge, Agesilaos, p. 79.
- ^ Hornblower, Commentary on Thucydides, Volume I, p. 349.
- ^ a b c d e Thommen, "Xenophon und die spartanische Nauarchie", p. 315.
- ^ Cartledge, Agesilaos, pp. 79, 95.
- ^ Sealey, "Die spartanische Nauarchie", p. 338, still mentions the possibility that the navarch was appointed, but does not really support it.
- ^ Rahe, Sparta's First Attic War, pp. 37, 38.
- ^ Poralla & Bradford, Prosopographie, p. 48.
- ^ Rahe, Sparta's First Attic War, p. 38.
- ^ Sealey, "Die spartanische Nauarchie", pp. 340, 341.
- ^ Sealey, "Die spartanische Nauarchie", p. 343.
- ^ Falkner, "Astyochus", p. 206.
- ^ Cartledge, Agesilaos, p. 79, dates his accession to 407: "He came out, according to the chronology I follow, in spring 407, but his year of office may technically have begun late in 408".
- ^ Cartledge, Agesilaos, p. 82.
- ^ Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia, p. 230.
- ^ Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia, p. 232.
- ^ Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia, p. 235.
- ^ Cartledge, Agesilaos, p. 223.
- ^ Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia, p. 245.
Bibliography
Ancient sources
Modern sources
- ISBN 0-415-26276-3
- Caroline Falkner, "Astyochus, Sparta's Incompetent Navarch?", Phoenix, Vol. 53, No. 3/4 (Autumn - Winter, 1999), pp. 206–221. JSTOR 1088984
- ISBN 0-19-815099-7
- Paul Poralla & Alfred S. Bradford, Prosopographie der Lakedaimonier, bis auf die Zeit Alexanders des Grossen, Chicago, 1985 (originally published in 1913). OCLC 1151065049
- ISBN 978-0-300-24261-4
- Raphael Sealey, "
- Lukas Thommen, "Xenophon und die spartanische Nauarchie", Historika, Storia Greca i Romana, V. 5: Great is the power of the sea, 2015, pp. 313–320.