Leocrates ( grc, Λεωκράτης), son of Stroebus ( grc, Στροίβος), was a leading

Athenian Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

general of the

First Peloponnesian War The First Peloponnesian War (460–445 BC) was fought between Sparta as the leaders of the Peloponnesian League and Sparta's other allies, most notably Thebes, Greece, Thebes, and the Delian League led by Athens with support from Ancient Argos, ...

. He led the Athenian forces that conquered the island of

Aegina Aegina (; el, Αίγινα, ''Aígina'' ; grc, Αἴγῑνα) is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of the hero Aeacus, who was born on the island and ...

, traditionally a naval rival of Athens. In 458 BC, Leocrates led a large Athenian fleet that engaged the Aeginetan fleet in the

Saronic Gulf The Saronic Gulf (Greek: Σαρωνικός κόλπος, ''Saronikós kólpos'') or Gulf of Aegina in Greece is formed between the peninsulas of Attica and Argolis and forms part of the Aegean Sea. It defines the eastern side of the isthmus of Co ...

near Aegina. After a major sea-battle in which reportedly the Athenians captured or sunk seventy ships, Leocrates led the Athenian forces ashore to besiege Aegina. The Aeginetans eventually surrendered to the Athenians and became subject allies of Athens. Leocrates can probably be identified with Leocrates, son of Stroebus, the Athenian boxer of the 5th century BC mentioned by Quintilian for whom

Simonides Simonides of Ceos (; grc-gre, Σιμωνίδης ὁ Κεῖος; c. 556–468 BC) was a Greek lyric poet, born in Ioulis on Ceos. The scholars of Hellenistic Alexandria included him in the canonical list of the nine lyric poets esteemed ...

wrote a lyric poem

ode An ode (from grc, ᾠδή, ōdḗ) is a type of lyric poetry. Odes are elaborately structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally. A classic ode is structured in three majo ...

. He is also often identified with the Leocrates who was a general along with

Aristides Aristides ( ; grc-gre, Ἀριστείδης, Aristeídēs, ; 530–468 BC) was an ancient Athenian statesman. Nicknamed "the Just" (δίκαιος, ''dikaios''), he flourished in the early quarter of Athens' Classical period and is remembe ...

and Myronides at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC.Simonides: An Historical Study - John H. Molyneaux - Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, 1992 - page 43

References

{{Reflist Ancient Athenian generals 5th-century BC Greek people