Aratus of Sicyon
Who was Aratus of Sicyon?
Greek statesman, general and Achaean League strategos (271-213 BC)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Aratus of Sicyon (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Aratus of Sicyon (271-213 BC) was a prominent Greek statesman and military leader who played a major role in Hellenistic politics for nearly sixty years through his leadership of the Achaean League. He was born into an influential family in Sicyon, but his early life was marked by tragedy when his father, a city official, was killed during a political coup. This led to seven-year-old Aratus being exiled to Argos, where he spent his early years plotting his return to power. His political career got underway in 251 BC when he led fellow exiles to liberate Sicyon from tyrannical rule, promptly aligning the city with the Achaean League and starting his long involvement with this confederation of Greek city-states.
As the strategos of the Achaean League, a role he held seventeen times between 245 and 213 BC, Aratus turned the organization from a minor regional alliance into the leading power in the Peloponnese. His most celebrated military success came early in his career with the capture of Acrocorinth, the seemingly impregnable Macedonian fortress that controlled the strategic Isthmus of Corinth. This daring night assault in 243 BC not only showed his tactical brilliance but also established his reputation as a leader capable of achieving the impossible. The victory freed Corinth from Macedonian control and significantly increased Achaean influence in central Greece.
Aratus's political skill was equally crucial during the Cleomenean War (229-222 BC), when the reformist Spartan king Cleomenes III threatened to destroy the Achaean League. Faced with superior Spartan forces capturing key Achaean cities including Argos and Corinth, Aratus made the controversial choice to seek alliance with Antigonus III Doson of Macedon, the very power he had previously fought against. This practical policy change proved decisive when the combined Achaean-Macedonian army defeated Cleomenes at the Battle of Sellasia in 222 BC, effectively ending Spartan independence and saving the League.
The last part of Aratus's career was overshadowed by his complicated relationship with Philip V of Macedon during the Social War (220-217 BC) against the Aetolian League. Initially serving as a mentor and advisor to the young king, Aratus gradually found himself pushed aside as Philip adopted more aggressive policies that clashed with traditional Achaean interests. Their relationship worsened when Philip began meddling directly in League affairs and showed ambitions for territorial expansion that threatened the autonomy Aratus had worked so hard to defend. Aratus died in 213 BC in Athens, with some contemporary sources suggesting he was poisoned on Philip's orders, although this claim is disputed by modern historians.
Before Fame
Aratus made a name for himself amid personal tragedy and political chaos in early 3rd century BC Greece. His father was assassinated during a coup in Sicyon around 264 BC, forcing the seven-year-old Aratus into exile in nearby Argos, where he found safety with family allies. During his 14 years in exile, he got a traditional Greek aristocratic education while planning his return to power. He built connections with other Sicyonian exiles and kept a close eye on the political scene back home.
After Alexander the Great died, the Hellenistic period left Greece fragmented and controlled by competing kingdoms and local tyrants, threatening the independence of traditional city-states. The Achaean League, initially a group of small Achaean cities in northern Peloponnese, had been revived as a federal state to resist tyranny and foreign rule. This political climate was ideal for an ambitious exile like Aratus, as the League was looking for dynamic leaders to challenge Macedonian rule and extend its reach throughout southern Greece.
Key Achievements
- Liberated Sicyon from tyranny in 251 BC and restored democratic government
- Captured the fortress of Acrocorinth in 243 BC, breaking Macedonian control of central Greece
- Served as strategos of the Achaean League seventeen times between 245-213 BC
- Defeated Spartan king Cleomenes III at the Battle of Sellasia in 222 BC through diplomatic alliance with Macedon
- Transformed the Achaean League from a minor confederation into the dominant power in the Peloponnese
Did You Know?
- 01.Won the prestigious tethrippon (four-horse chariot race) at the Olympic Games in 232 BC, one of the most expensive and elite competitions in ancient athletics
- 02.Captured the fortress of Acrocorinth through a daring night assault that required his men to scale the supposedly unclimbable cliffs using ladders and ropes
- 03.Wrote an autobiographical memoir of his political and military career that became a primary source for later historians including Plutarch
- 04.Was awarded heroic honors after his death, meaning he received religious worship typically reserved for founders of cities or legendary figures
- 05.Served as strategos of the Achaean League in both consecutive and non-consecutive terms over a span of 32 years, demonstrating unprecedented political longevity
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic victor, tethrippon (4-horse chariot) | 232 | — |
| honorific statue | — | — |
| heroic honors | — | — |