Timotheus (general)
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Timotheus (Greek: Τιμόθεος; died 354 BC) was a Greek statesman and general who sought to revive Athenian imperial ambitions by making Athens dominant in a Second Athenian League. He was the son of the Athenian general, Conon. Isocrates considered that Timotheus was superior to the other commanders of his time and showed all the requisites and abilities of a good general.[2]
Strategos
From 378 BC to 356 BC, Timotheus frequently held command as "
Asia Minor
Having returned to Athens, in 366 BC he was sent to support
Court case
An action was brought against him by Apollodorus, the son of the banker Pasion, for the return of money lent by his father. The speech for the plaintiff is still extant, and is attributed to Demosthenes (see also Pseudo-Demosthenes). It is interesting as it describes the manner in which Timotheus had exhausted the large fortune inherited from his father and the straits to which he was reduced by his sacrifices in the public cause.[3]
Social War
In 358 BC or 357 BC, an Athenian force, in response to a spirited appeal from Timotheus, crossed over to Euboea and expelled the Thebans in three days. In the course of the Social War Timotheus was dispatched with Iphicrates, Menestheus, son of Iphicrates, and Chares to put down the revolt. The hostile fleets sighted each other in the Hellespont; but a gale was blowing, and Iphicrates and Timotheus decided not to engage. Chares, disregarding the advice of his colleagues, lost many ships.[3]
Final years
In his dispatches after the battle, Chares complained so bitterly about Iphicrates and Timotheus that the Athenians put them on their trial. The accusers were Chares and Aristophon. Iphicrates, who had fewer enemies than Timotheus, was acquitted; but Timotheus, who had always been disliked for his perceived arrogance, was condemned to pay a very heavy fine. Being unable to pay, he withdrew to
Reputation
Timotheus inspired much jealousy among his rivals, his reputation somewhat tarnished by the record of his final years. Claudius Aelianus sums up much of the negative perception of Timotheus' generalship. Note that the Athenian general Timotheus was reckoned to be fortunate. People said fortune was responsible, and Timotheus had no part in it. They ridiculed him on the stage, and painters portrayed him asleep, with Tyche (Fortune) hovering above his head and pulling the cities into her net. This commentary is balanced by the credible picture (presented by Isocrates) of a skilled and cautious general, magnanimous victor and low-key diplomat.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Leo Mildenberg, "The Cyzicenes, a Reappraisal", American Journal of Numismatics, Vol. 5/6 (1993-94), pp. 1-12.
- ^ Isocrates. Antidosis, Section 117.
- ^ a b c d e f Chisholm 1911.
Bibliography
- See Life by Cornelius Nepos; Diodorus Siculus xv., xvi.; Isocrates, De permutatione; Pseudo-Demosthenes, Adversus Timotheum; C. Rehdantz, Vitae Iphicratis, Chabriae, Timothei (1845); and especially Holm, History of Greece (English translation, Volume III.).
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Timotheus". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 991. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
- Robinson, E. S. G.; Price, M. J. (1967). "An emergency coinage of Timotheos". Numismatic Chronicle. 7th Series. 7: 1–6.
- Burich, Nancy Jane (1994). Timotheus, son of Conon, prostates of the Second Athenian Confederacy (PhD). University of Kansas.
- Heskel, Julia (2016). The North Aegean Wars, 371-360 B.C. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag. ISBN 978-3-515-11475-2.
- Sheedy, K. A. (2015). "The Emergency Coinage of Timotheus (364–362 BC)". In Wartenberg, U.; Amandry, M. (eds.). ΚΑΙΡΟΣ: Contributions to Numismatics in Honor of Basil Demetriadi. New York. pp. 203–223.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Sheedy, K.A.; Gore, D.; Ponting, M. (2015). "The Bronze Issues of the Athenian General Timotheus: Evaluating the Evidence of Polyaenus's Stratagemata". American Journal of Numismatics. 27: 1–20.
- Scafuro, Adele S.; Gagarin, Michael (2011). Demosthenes, speeches 39/49 (1st ed.). Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN 9780292785908.