Aratus of Sicyon

Aratus of Sicyon was a prominent Greek politician and military commander during the Hellenistic period.

He lived from 271 BC to 213 BC and played a vital role in the Achaean League. This was a federation of Greek city-states that worked together for mutual defense and political strength. Aratus was elected as the strategos, or general leader, of the League 17 different times. His career was defined by his efforts to expand the League's influence and liberate various cities from tyranny.

Aratus's life began with significant political upheaval in his home city of Sicyon.

His father, Cleinias, had been a magistrate of the city. However, in 264 BC, a man named Abantidas murdered Cleinias during a coup to become a tyrant. Aratus was only seven years old when this happened. His aunt helped him hide until nightfall and then smuggled him to the city of Argos. He lived in exile in Argos for many years, where he became a skilled athlete in the pentathlon.

In 251 BC, Aratus organized a group of fellow exiles to reclaim Sicyon.

He used a clever strategy to bypass the city's defenses. After a prisoner suggested a way to scale the walls, Aratus prepared a secret expedition. To deceive spies in Argos, he hosted a large feast on the day of the planned attack. His men used ladders to climb the walls under the cover of darkness. They captured the guards at dawn and successfully ended the tyranny in Sicyon.

After freeing Sicyon, Aratus faced the difficult task of stabilizing the city's economy. He sought financial aid from powerful foreign leaders to help his people. He received 25 talents of silver from a king, possibly Antigonus Gonatas of Macedon or Ptolemy II of Egypt.

Later, Aratus traveled to Alexandria to meet Ptolemy II Philadelphus. He returned with 40 talents and a promise of 110 more. He established a committee of 16 members to distribute these funds fairly among the citizens. This wealth allowed Sicyon to join the Achaean League, marking the first time a non-Achaean polis joined the group.

Aratus's most famous military achievement occurred in 243 BC when he captured the Acrocorinth.

The Acrocorinth was a massive citadel sitting atop a high hill above the city of Corinth. It was considered an impregnable fortress because of its steep cliffs and thick walls. Aratus learned from Syrian mercenaries that a specific part of the wall was lower and less steep. He led a small force of 400 men to attack the site. Some soldiers even went barefoot to ensure they remained silent while scaling the walls. The successful seizure of this citadel allowed the Achaean League to expand further into the Peloponnese.

Throughout his career, Aratus navigated complex alliances with major powers like Macedon and Sparta.

During the Cleomenean War, he formed an alliance with the Macedonian king Antigonus III Doson to defeat the Spartan king Cleomenes III at the Battle of Sellasia. Later, he worked with the Spartan king Agis IV to defend the Isthmus of Corinth against the Aetolian League. However, these alliances were often fragile. In one instance, Aratus and Agis IV disagreed on military strategy, which led to the Spartan army returning home and leaving the Achaean League vulnerable.

Aratus continued to pursue the liberation of other cities, including Argos, Athens, and Megalopolis.

His attempts to take Argos were particularly difficult and included a failed coup in 235 BC. During that attempt, Aratus was wounded in the thigh by a spear. In his later years, he served as a key advisor to the young Macedonian king, Philip V, during the Social War. Aratus died in 213 BC. Historical accounts suggest he may have been poisoned by Philip V. His life remains a major study in the political and military shifts of the Hellenistic Greek world.