Alcibiades was born in Athens around 450 BC into one of the city's noblest families. When his father died he was raised by his relative Pericles, the great leader of Athenian democracy. Handsome, rich, clever and an irresistible speaker, he soon became the most admired and talked-about young man in Athens.
Pupil of Socrates
Alcibiades was close to Socrates, who saw in him an extraordinary talent to be guided to virtue. In Plato's Symposium Alcibiades bursts drunk into the party and delivers a famous praise of his teacher. Socrates saved his life at the battle of Potidaea, and Alcibiades returned the favour at Delium. But the philosopher's lessons could not curb his ambition, and at Socrates' trial many remembered he had had pupils like him.
The Sicilian Expedition
During a truce in the Peloponnesian War, Alcibiades persuaded the assembly to attack Syracuse in 415 BC, dreaming of conquering Sicily and then Carthage. He was appointed commander with Nicias and Lamachus. Just before departure, however, the herms of Athens, sacred pillars with the head of Hermes outside houses, were mutilated in a single night. Alcibiades was also accused of parodying the Eleusinian Mysteries and recalled for trial.
Betrayal
Instead of returning, Alcibiades fled to Sparta, where he advised Athens' enemies to help Syracuse and occupy Decelea in Attica: both moves were disastrous for Athens. Then, distrusted by the Spartans (he was said to have seduced one king's wife), he entered the service of the Persian satrap Tissaphernes.
- c. 450 BCBorn in Athens.
- 432-424 BCFights at Potidaea and Delium alongside Socrates.
- 420 BCElected general, builds an anti-Spartan alliance that fails at Mantinea.
- 415 BCLeads the Sicilian Expedition; the herms scandal; flees to Sparta.
- 412 BCGoes over to the Persians.
- 411-407 BCRecalled by the Athenian fleet at Samos, wins at Cyzicus and returns in triumph to Athens.
- 406 BCAfter a subordinate's defeat at Notium, he is exiled again.
- 404 BCKilled in Phrygia.
Return and end
In 411 BC the Athenian fleet recalled him and Alcibiades, general again, won a string of battles, including Cyzicus. In 407 he returned to Athens as a hero, but one defeat by a subordinate brought him down again. He withdrew to a castle in Thrace and, after Athens surrendered, sought refuge in Persia. In 404 BC he was killed in Phrygia: according to Plutarch, assassins set his house on fire and shot him with arrows as he came out sword in hand.
What they said of him
Thucydides acknowledges his great military gifts but writes that his scandalous private life cost him the Athenians' trust. Aristophanes, in the Frogs, says Athens "loves him, hates him and wants him back". Plutarch gives him one of his Parallel Lives, paired with the Roman Coriolanus.
See also the history of Athens and Demosthenes.