Showing results by author "Bernadotte Perrin" in All Categories

Though Sparta and Greece were once bitter rivals, this did not stop Plutarch from writing about Spartan figureheads in his book, Parallel Lives. Cleomenes was one of these Spartan figureheads - and was the King of Sparta for many years. From involvement in many wars to his effort to maintain the Spartan state, Cleomenes was still not free from drama. His life ended tragically at his own hands after one final Spartan defeat, but his legacy lived on through the works of Plutarch and others.

Agesilaus was a notable king of Sparta prior to the Athens-Spartan war. Although he won and lost many battles for the city, his legacy lived on. He was a short-statured, lame man who managed to rule an entire city-state - and many looked up to him after his death.

The life of Timoleon, as told by Plutarch in Parallel Lives, is a twisted and intriguing one. Deemed fiercely patriotic for helping plan the assassination of his tyrannical brother, Timoleon was multifaceted. He was integral in helping the citizens of Sicily, as well as his own citizens. But for the many things that he did, Timoleon suffered a lonely end - only to be celebrated further after his death.

When it came to Athens and their leaders, few were as influential as the politician and Stratego Nicias. In Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, he documents the Peloponnesian War and other great achievements of the time through the life of Nicias. Most importantly, he helped negotiate peace after a decades-long war, which made him popular after an unsuccessful start in politics. However, after many years of political truces and actions, his life took a turn for the worse.

The Life of Aratus is one of the many biographies detailed in Plutarch’s integral work, Parallel Lives. In The Life of Aratus, Plutarch details the dynamic work done by the successor of Nicocles and talks about his advocacy to turn Greece into a united country. Working as a soldier first and then a diplomat, he fought for the betterment of his fellow countrymen. Disaster hit during his later reign, as it so often did, and though many wanted him dead, the great Oracle at Delphi had other plans.

We all know the founder of Rome, but do we know much about the widely-proclaimed second founder of Rome? The monarchy, tyranny, and victorious battles of Marcus Furius Camillus, the second founder, are documented in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives. After the destruction of Veii, Camillus returned to Rome as a pompous victor and dictator, causing quite a stir when he refused to follow the wishes of the senate when it came to dealing with Veii. Sensing banishment was in his future, Camillus’s time in Rome was much less bloody than many of his predecessors.

One of the more hotly contested lives documented in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, the Life of Dion investigates the intense politics of the tyrant of Syracuse. Starting out in politics, he initially was one of Dionysus’ most trusted advisors. But after Dionysus expressed that he no longer wanted to be a tyrant, which went against the advisement of Dion, his most trusted advisor was banished.

In The Life of Cicero, Plutarch details the priceless contributions Cicero made to Roman society. He translated the works of Greek philosophers into Latin, gained acclaim as an orator and lawyer, and was elected to office. Politics ultimately got the better of him, however, and his life ended in assassination while in exile. Cicero’s ideas live on through his body of work, but to learn about the man himself, Plutarch’s biography is an excellent starting point.

Mark Antony’s personal life was almost as storied as his immensely successful political career. In Plutarch’s biography, the most striking sections revolve around Antony’s relationship with Cleopatra. Plutarch’s characterization inspired Shakespeare, whose play "Antony and Cleopatra" would not be the same without its influence. With such close ties to Shakespeare, it’s no wonder that the The Life of Antony holds great literary merit all its own.

The story of Romulus is perhaps the most noteworthy entry in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives. According to legend, Romulus and his brother Remus founded Rome after being raised by a “she-wolf”, though Plutarch notes that this word was also used to describe sexually immoral women. “The Life of Romulus” shows how it is impossible to separate the man from the myth. For this reason, Plutarch’s portrait of Romulus argues that legends often have as great an influence on culture as the truth.

Pelopidas started out a hero to the people, being born under a noble family and making a name for himself as an athlete. But as Plutarch describes in Pelopidas’ chapter of Parallel Lives, there was a lot more to this man than could be seen. Being very generous with his wealth to the less fortunate of the town, Pelopidas also went on to lead the army. By the end of his life, his patriotism did not go unnoticed - and was ultimately what led to his untimely demise.

Like many of the lives of famous Grecian heroes, Marcellus’ life was documented in Plutarch’s famous Parallel Lives series. Although the Life of Marcellus is largely incomplete, it does give one of history’s only accurate representations of the political and military actions taken upon by Marcus Claudius Marcellus. Elected to the position of curule aedile after showing exceptional military valor, Marcellus went on to become one of Greece’s most sought-after warriors.

Plutarch set out to understand the lives of the political greats of his time when he wrote his famous Parallel Lives series, of which The Life of Artaxerxes is included. Artaxerxes was fairly unique among the mix of famous names listed here, as he was a Persian king. His influence upon the Persian War and the remainder of Parallel Lives biographies is irrefutable. Though arguably his inclusion was merely in relation to his influence on Greece and Rome, Artaxerxes is still one of the more interesting biographies you will hear in the series.

In contrast to some of the other, bloodier names listed in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, Demosthenes was a great orator and politician. The Life of Demosthenes starts out uniquely, detailing Demosthenes’ commitment to his study - one so fierce that he built an underground study room and shaved half his head so he wouldn’t go outside. All this was to take his guardians to court for not allowing him to take gymnastics, but his education went on to help him in the end. Going on to write speeches for the greatest politicians, Demosthenes made his mark on Ancient Greece through his craft.

Caius Gracchus was barely a man when his older brother, Tiberius, was assassinated for his reforms on behalf of the poor. After this, Caius tried to live a quiet life away from the public eye, perhaps afraid of meeting the same fate. Yet in Plutarch’s biography of Caius, he recounts that Tiberius appeared to his brother in a dream, telling him that they were both destined to fight and die for the working class. Caius eventually answered the call, served in the tribune for two years, and was likewise assassinated for his reforms.

In this entry of Parallel Lives, Plutarch tells the true story of Lysander, the great Spartan leader. Lysander led a fleet of Spartan ships to victory against the Athenians in the battle at Aegospotami. History also credits him with forcing the Greeks to surrender at the end of the Peloponnesian War.