Lamachus

Lamachus († 414 BC in Syracuse) was an Athenian general.

Lamachus, son of Xenophanes, was distinguished by bravery and selflessness. He came from humble beginnings and had to be sparing, which earned him the accusation of avarice and meanness of his opponents with his money. Supposedly he was even reimburse the expenses for his percolated in the service shoe soles. Because of its bellicose, martial essence he was ridiculed by Aristophanes in the Knights and peace.

433 BC he freed on behalf of Pericles Sinope by the tyrant Timesilaos, also 424 commanded a fleet in the Black Sea and 421 signed the peace of Nicias with.

415 BC - already at an advanced age - he was elected with Alcibiades and Nicias as a commander for the expedition to Sicily. He had to suffer much because of his thoughtful and hesitant commander colleagues Nicias, who was able to prevail better in many ways because of his wealth, and fell after his audacious attack plan had been rejected in the summer of 414 against Syracuse in a battle against the Syracusan knights Callicrates.

Swell

• Plutarch: Lives. Chapter " Nicias ", section 12 and 14