Aratus of Sicyon

Aratus of Sicyon, a prominent politician and military commander of Hellenistic Greece, was born in two hundred seventy-one BC. His early life was marked by tragedy; at the tender age of seven, he was exiled to Argos following the assassination of his father, the magistrate of Sicyon, in a coup. This formative experience would shape his future endeavors and aspirations.

In two hundred fifty-one BC, Aratus led a daring expedition composed of fellow exiles, successfully liberating Sicyon from tyranny. His leadership not only restored his hometown but also facilitated its entry into the Achaean League, where he would later be elected strategos an impressive seventeen times. His first major military achievement as strategos was the capture of the seemingly impregnable Macedonian-held citadel of Acrocorinth.

Following this victory, Aratus focused on expanding the Achaean League's influence. When the Spartan king Cleomenes III seized control of Argos and Corinth, Aratus skillfully forged an alliance with his former adversary, Antigonus III Doson of Macedon. This collaboration proved pivotal, culminating in the defeat of Cleomenes III at the Battle of Sellasia, a significant turning point in the region's power dynamics.

During the Social War against the Aetolian League, Aratus emerged as a key advisor to the new Macedonian king, Philip V. However, his life came to a tragic end in two hundred thirteen BC, when he allegedly fell victim to poisoning orchestrated by Philip, marking a dramatic conclusion to a life dedicated to the pursuit of power and stability in Hellenistic Greece.