Died 395 B.C. in Haliartos, Beoetia. Spartan warlord.
Lysander came to prominence during the second period of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 B.C.). As a nauarchus (naval commander) in 407 he won a victory over the Athenians near Cape Notium. As an epistoleus (assistant nauarchus) in 405 he inflicted a crushing defeat upon the Athenian Navy at Aegospotami. He left Spartan regents and garrisons in the cities seized by the Spartans, formed governments called committees of ten (decarchies) with members of the local oligarchic hetaerae, and carried out a campaign of terror against democratic circles, allies of Athens, and the Cleruchy. In 405–404 he conducted a siege of Athens from the sea and forced the Athenians to surrender and sign a truce on conditions dictated by Sparta. Under pressure from Lysander, the democratic order in Athens was destroyed, and the extremely oligarchic government of the “Thirty Tyrants,” which Lysander supported by military force, was instituted. Lysander’s striving for autocratic authority led to his removal from command (after 404). During the Corinthian War, Lysander commanded a Spartan detachment, was defeated, and died in combat with the Beoetians at Haliartos.