Xenophon -- Ancient History Encyclopedia

Definition

Xenophon of Athens (430-354 BCE) was a contemporary of Plato and a fellow student of Socrates. He is known for his writings, especially his Anabasis, Memorobilia and his Apology (the latter two dealing with Socrates and, besides Plato’s writings, the basis for what we know of Plato). It is reported that he asked Socrates’ advice on whether he should join the army of Cyrus the Younger and Socrates sent him to ask the question of the Oracle at Delphi. Instead of asking the direct question, however, Xenophon merely asked which of the gods were best prayed to for the desired end of a successful journey and safe return. The Oracle answered him with the names of the gods, Xenophon prayed and sacrificed accordingly, and, when he returned to Athens and told Socrates what he had done the latter scolded him for laziness of mind.

Xenophon wrote extensively on domestic issues in his Economics and defined the duties of a wife therein (the overseer of the home and children) and marriage as a “partnership ordained by the gods.” He is best known, however, as a soldier and the author of Anabasis ('The Expedition' or 'The March Up Country') his narrative of the Persian Expedition under Cyrus the Younger against his brother Artaxerxes II of Persia in 401 BCE. Xenophon served as a mercenary in Cyrus’ army and, after their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Cunaxa (in which Cyrus was killed and the Spartan General Clearchus was betrayed and murdered) found himself one of the newly elected leaders of the ten thousand man mercenary army. Xenophon helped lead his men through hostile country fighting their way back home to Greece against the Medes, the Armenians and the Persians. So precise are Xenophon’s descriptions of terrain and battle that the Anabasis was used by Alexander the Great as a field guide for his own conquest of Persia.

After his return to Greece with his ten thousand, Xenophon and his men joined the forces of the Spartan General Thibron and he wound up fighting against his own city-state of Athens, for the Spartan king, at the Battle of Coronea. For this crime against his home state he was banished from Athens and lived on property provided by the Spartans near Olympia. It was here that he composed the Anabasis and his works on Socrates. It has been speculated that his strong support for Socrates in his Apology and his tender depiction of his former teacher in the Memorobilia were more a cause for his banishment from Athens than his mercenary work for Sparta. His son, Gryllus, died for Athens fighting in the Battle of Mantinea and, accordingly, Xenophon’s banishment was revoked and he died, of unknown causes, either in Athens or at Corinth.

Written by Joshua J. Mark, published 02 September 2009.

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