Leosthenes

Who was Leosthenes?

Leosthenes was an Athenian, commander of the combined Greek army in the Lamian war. We know not by what means he had obtained the high reputation which we find him enjoying when he first makes his appearance in history: it has been generally inferred, from a passage in Strabo, that he had first served under Alexander the Great in Asia; but it now seems certain that this is a mistake, and that Leonnatus is the person there meant.

It is certain that when we first meet with any distinct mention of Leosthenes, he appears as an officer of acknowledged ability and established reputation in war, but a vehement opponent of the Macedonian interest. Shortly before the death of Alexander he had collected together and brought over to cape Taenarum a large body of the Greek mercenaries that had been disbanded by the different satraps in Asia, according to Alexander's orders. As soon as the news of the king's death reached Athens, Leosthenes was despatched to Taenarus to engage the services of these troops, eight thousand in number: from thence he hastened to Aetolia, and induced that people to join in the war against Macedonia.