105112. Xenophon served as a mercenary in Cyrus' army, but at the Battle of Cunaxa in 401 BCE, Cyrus was killed, and he was left stranded with his troops in enemy territory. Both the Apology and the Memorabilia defend Socrates' character and teachings. Shortly thereafter, Clearchus was treacherously invited by Tissaphernes to a feast, where, alongside four other generals and many captains, including Xenophon's friend Proxenus, he was captured and executed (Anabasis 2.5.3132). After capturing Teuthrania and Halisarna, the Greeks led by Thimbron lay siege to Larissa. He marched with the Spartans, and was exiled from Athens. Xenophon (4), son of Grylus Life Xenophon, the son of Gryllus, was born at Athens during the early years of the Peloponnesian War into a family of knights; he died either in Athens or Corinth . However, following the lead of Leo Strauss, David Johnson suggests that there is a subtle but strong layer to the book in which Xenophon conveys criticism of not only the Persians but the Spartans and Athenians as well.[31]. His ethical system contained little that jars in modern terms; but in todays cynical world, the apparent ingenuousness of its expression strikes some as by turns bland and irritating. Xenophons life history before 401 is scantily recorded; at that time, prompted by a Boeotian friend, he left postwar Athens, joined the Greek mercenary army of the Achaemenian prince Cyrus the Younger, and became involved in Cyruss rebellion against his brother, the Persian king Artaxerxes II. Therefore you are at once able to judge for yourselves the reason why we are not at fault now, although we were then."[22]. Xenophon was born in Athens in about 430 bc. Anabasis was also later used as a textbook for instruction in Greek in Victorian England and elsewhere because of Xenophon's clear and accessible style. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Retreat of the Ten Thousand, Battle of CunaxaJean-Adrien Guignet (Public Domain). Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. "[27] Herodotus contradicts Xenophon at several other points, most notably in the matter of Cyrus's relationship with the Median Kingdom. Historical themes of Xenophon. Interestingly, this is in keeping with all of Socrates' students, each of whom set up schools and promoted often radically different philosophies from each other while claiming that each was accurately representing Socrates' teachings. Xenophon never set up such a school himself but is better known than many who did, owing to his Memorabilia depicting Socrates as what scholar Odysseus Makridis refers to as a philosopher who "offers advice that ranges from persuasive marshaling of arguments to practical how-to, nuts-and-bolts instructions" (xiii). Other works, although not without precedent in genre, are unusual in various ways; this is true of the idiosyncratic contemporary history of Hellenica (Greek History) and the fictive history of Cyropaedia (Education of Cyrus); the second-order, philosophically nontechnical response to (or exploitation of) Socratic literature found in Memorabilia, Symposium (Drinking Party), Oeconomicus (Household Management), and Apology; and the novel form of encomiastic biography exemplified by Agesilaus. Along with the works of Plato (l. 424/423-348/347 BCE), these three form the basis of what is known of Socrates' life and teachings, as he never wrote anything himself. Updates? Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company: 1890. pp. The Spartan victory allowed them to take both Phocis and Locris, and so the campaign was regarded by the Spartans as a great success, but for Xenophon, the consequences were less pleasant. Readings in the classical historians. In the Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, Diogenes Lartius observed that Xenophon was known as the "Attic Muse" because of the sweetness of his diction. More generally, Xenophon's moral posture and his conviction that proper . "Bibliothek des allgemeinen und praktischen Wissens. Arrian | Military Wiki | Fandom His histories of warfare, memoirs, philosophical commentaries, and descriptions of the various societies in which he lived were praised in his day for their eloquence. Xenophon (c.430-354 BCE) was an Athenian-born Greek and not a contemporary of Cyrus the Great (c.600-530 BCE). Filled with a plethora of originality and tactical genius, Xenophon's conduct of the retreat caused Dodge to name the Athenian knight the greatest general that preceded Alexander the Great.[20]. Submitted by Joshua J. Mark, J. J. [21] The level of detail with which Xenophon describes Thimbron's campaign in Hellenica suggests first hand knowledge. Xenophon writes that he asked Socrates for advice on whether to go with Cyrus, and that Socrates referred him to the divinely inspired Pythia. Xenophon relates that at this time the Medes were the strongest of the kingdoms that opposed the Babylonians (1.5.2). Map of Persia and the March of the Ten ThousandUS Military Academy (Public Domain). Rex Warner was a Professor at the University of Connecticut. We meet a world marked by the particular forms of Greek religion: vows and sacrifices are frequently made to the gods, seers are constantly consulted, a sneeze is thought to be a favorable omenXenophon's account tells us much about the character of Greek soldiers and Greek political life, but it also offers insight into a broader human experience. The Colchians, seeing they were being outflanked, divided their army to check the Greek deployment, opening a gap in their line through which Xenophon rushed in his reserves, scoring a brilliant Greek victory.[19]. The Symposium outlines the character of Socrates as he and his companions discuss what attribute they take pride in. says that Xenophon was also a pupil of Isocrates, which may be true, though Isocrates was younger than Xenophon, being born in B. C. 436. Xenophon's lessons on leadership have been reconsidered for their modern-day value. Anabasis, by Xenophon - Project Gutenberg Xenophon probably followed Agesilaus' march to Sparta in 394 BC and finished his military journey after seven years. He lived in Scillus, district of Elis, near Olympia, where he had a farm and wrote his works until 371 BCE when his land was taken by the Elians and he moved to Corinth, where he died c. 354 BCE of natural causes. Agesilaus marched back from Ionia to deal with this situation and met the coalition of Argos, Athens, Corinth, and Thebes at the Battle of Coronea in 394 BCE. The Socrates of both Plato and Xenophon reflect the authors' own values, concerns, and upbringing. Quick Facts Also Known As: Xenophon of Athens Died At Age: 76 Family: father: Gryllus Born Country: Greece Quotes By Xenophon Historians Died on: 354 BC place of death: Thrace City: Athens, Greece Recommended Lists: Greek People Philosophers Greek Men Childhood & Early Life Xenophon was born to Gryllus in Athens. World History Encyclopedia, 27 Sep 2022. Xenophon was one of the men selected to replace five generals seized and executed by the Persians. Xenophon and Agesilaus likely met for the first time and Xenophon joined Agesilaus' campaign for Ionian Greece independence of 396394. The main army at once joined in the attack from the valley side, and the Carducians were driven from their stronghold."[16]. The Socrates that Xenophon portrayed was different from Plato's in multiple respects. Life Early years Xenophon was born around 430 BC, in the deme Erchia of Athens. Pangle, "Socrates Founding Political Philosophy in Xenophon's Economist, Symposium, and Apology", Steven W. Hirsch, "1001 Iranian Nights: History and Fiction in Xenophon's. Help us and translate this definition into another language! However, this treatise makes evident that anti-democratic sentiments were extant in Athens in the late 5th century BC and were only increased after its shortcomings were exploited and made apparent during the Peloponnesian War. Johnson, D. M. 2005. Xenophon's standing as a political philosopher has been defended in recent times by Leo Strauss, who devoted a considerable part of his philosophic analysis to the works of Xenophon, returning to the high judgment of Xenophon as a thinker expressed by Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, Michel de Montaigne, Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Johann Joachim Winckelmann, Niccol Machiavelli, Francis Bacon, John Milton, Jonathan Swift, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. Xenophon | Ancient Greek Historian & Military Strategist https://www.britannica.com/biography/Xenophon, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Biography of Xenophon, Perseus Digital Library - A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology - Xe'nophon, Xenophon - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Historians have asked whether Xenophon's portrait of Cyrus was accurate or if Xenophon imbued Cyrus with events from Xenophon's own life. Olympic victor: Paus. And from this time forth, Xenophon became a follower of Socrates. The historian Diogenes Laertius (l. c. 3rd century CE) claims Xenophon wrote over 40 books, including an important treatise on training dogs. Xenophon born in 431 BC was a writer and philosopher and at the age of 30 elected commander of one of the largest armies of the day. "Irony and the Narrator in Xenophon's Anabasis", in, Dodge, Theodore Ayrault. In the Nabonidus Chronicle, there is mention of the death of the wife of the king (name not given) within a month after the capture of Babylon. son of Menephylus, Olympic victor: Paus. [3] cclx.) Xenophon asserts that Socrates dealt with his prosecution in an exceedingly arrogant manner, or at least was perceived to have spoken arrogantly. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Although the Anabasis narrative stops at this point and further details are lacking, he clearly became closely involved with senior Spartans, notably (after 396) King Agesilaus II. "Xenophon." In section 4.3 of the Cyropaedia Cyrus makes clear his desire to institute cavalry. While it is reported that he tried to emulate Socrates throughout his life, he seems to have done so in his own unique way. 2003. He was also a mercenary and soldier, having served in the failed exploits of Cyrus the Younger's efforts to take control of the Persian throne. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Homotmoi were highly and thoroughly educated and thus became the core of the soldiery as heavy infantry. The manner in which this occurs seems also to be a subtle jab at democracy. Xenophon describes his life in 401 BC and 400 BC in the memoir Anabasis. Roman orator, attorney and teacher of rhetoric Quintilian echoes Cicero in The Orator's Education saying "the Graces themselves seem to have molded his style and the goddess of persuasion sat upon his lips". Xenophon and his important historical works | Destination Athens "[38] The Cyropaedia, in outlining Cyrus as an ideal leader having mastered the qualities of "education, equality, consensus, justice and service to state," is the work that she suggests be used as a guide or example for those striving to be leaders (see mirrors for princes). Xenophon c. 431 - c. 354 BC. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/xenophon/. https://www.worldhistory.org/xenophon/. Although empire emerges in this case, this is also a sequence of events associated with democracy. If Plato's Socrates sounds like one of those professors whose class you failed in college, Xenophon's Socrates is the next-door neighbor whose advice you always avidly seek out from how to make and keep friends, to how to be in good standing with the local sheriff and handle unruly, pestering relatives. He certainly used his mercenary booty to buy land and erect a small-scale copy of Artemiss famous temple at Ephesus. And when he had answered him, he asked him again where men were made good and virtuous. Personally invited by Proxenus of Beotia (Anabasis 3.1.9), one of the captains in Cyrus's mercenary army, Xenophon sailed to Ephesus to meet Cyrus the Younger and participate in Cyrus's military campaign against Tissaphernes, the Persian satrap of Ionia. And as he did not know, he said, 'Follow me, then, and learn.' A short treatise on the Constitution of the Athenians exists that was once thought to be by Xenophon, but which was probably written when Xenophon was about five years old. 281321. He served with the Greek mercenaries of the Persian prince Cyrus, an experience on which he based his best-known work, the Anabasis. From the Greek word "xenos" meaning foreign/strange and the word elment "phone/phone" meaning voice. Gaius Stertinius Xenophon - Wikipedia "[37], Although Xenophon claims to have been present at the Symposium, this is impossible as he was only a young boy at the date which he proposes it occurred. Statue of Xenophon, ViennaMrPanyGoff (CC BY-SA). His father, Gryllus, owned an estate there and was well off but, unlike other wealthy Athenians, played no part in the political life of the city. Xenophon asked Socrates' advice on whether he should join the mercenaries, and Socrates sent him to ask the question of the Oracle at Delphi. Xenophon wrote the Cyropaedia to outline his political and moral philosophy. "Apologizing for Socrates: Plato and Xenophon on Socrates' Behavior in Court." Xenophon's depiction of Socrates contrasts with Plato's in that the latter presents Socrates as an idealistic philosopher who engaged with others to lead them to an apprehension of ultimate truth. Translations [ edit] Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). "Xenophon and Callicratidas". (viii-iv). The strength of Cyrus in holding the empire together is praiseworthy according to Xenophon. Cyrus' goal was to overthrow his brother and take the throne. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology His manuscript "The Art of Horsemanship" is the earliest surviving written record of horse care and education. 5" (1905), Abri der Weltliteratur, Seite 46 (Public Domain), He is remembered today as one of the greatest writers of ancient, Retreat of the Ten Thousand, Battle of Cunaxa, Map of Persia and the March of the Ten Thousand. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Xenophon's narrative also offers a unique insight into the character of a Greek army on the march. He lived under the protection of Sparta on an estate near Olympia, where he began to write his histories and memoirs. A history of dressage Ancient Greeks to a 21st-Century Sport - Pink Equine His son, Gryllus, a member of the Athenian cavalry, had been killed at the Battle of Mantinea in 362 BCE, and at that time, Athens revoked Xenophon's banishment in honor of his son, but there is no evidence to suggest he ever returned home. Greek philosopher, historian, soldier (c.430355/354 BC), Toggle Xenophon's political philosophy subsection, Toggle Socratic works and dialogues subsection, Relations between Medes and Persians in the, Dodge, Theodore Ayrault. Web. The truce between the Greeks and the Persians was fragile and in 397 BC Dercylidas' force mirrored the movement of Tissaphernes' and Pharnabazus' force near Ephesus, but did not engage in battle.
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