Battle of Amphipolis The Battle of Amphipolis ( ) was fought in 422 BC during the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta . It was the culmination of events that began in 424 BC with the capture of Amphipolis by the Spartans . Capture of Amphipolis , 424 – 423 BC . In the winter of 424 – 423 , around the same time as the Battle of Delium , the Spartan general Brasidas besieged Amphipolis , an Athenian colony in Thrace on the Strymon river . The city was defended by the Athenian general Eucles , who sent for help from Thucydides ( at that point a general , later a famous historian ) , who was stationed at Thasos with seven Athenian ships . In order to capture the city before Thucydides arrived , Brasidas offered to let everyone who wished to stay keep their property , and offered safe passage to those who wanted to leave . Amphipolis surrendered , despite protests from Eucles . Thucydides arrived at the nearby port of Eion on the same day the city surrendered , and defended it with help from those who had left Amphipolis . Meanwhile Brasidas began to ally with more Thracian towns , as well as Perdiccas II of Macedon , and he attacked other towns in the area , such as Torone . The Athenians were afraid that their other allies would quickly capitulate , as the Amphipolitans had , if Brasidas offered them favourable terms of peace . Thucydides , who recounted the capture of Amphipolis in his History of the Peloponnesian War , is often considered to be partially or entirely responsible for the fall of Amphipolis . Some have seen his actions as " gross negligence , " although he claimed he was unable to arrive in time to save the city . He was recalled to Athens where he was tried and exiled . Armistice of 423 BC . In response to the fall of the city , Athens and Sparta signed an armistice . Athens hoped they could fortify more towns in preparation for future attacks from Brasidas , and the Spartans hoped Athens would finally return the prisoners taken at the Battle of Sphacteria earlier in 424 . According to the terms of the truce , " It is proposed that each side should remain in its own territory , holding what it now holds . . . The armistice is to last for one year . " While the negotiations were going on , Brasidas captured Scione and refused to give it back when news of the treaty arrived . The Athenian leader Cleon sent a force to take it back , despite the treaty . Battle of Amphipolis , 422 BC . When the armistice ended in 422 , Cleon arrived in Thrace with a force of 30 ships , 1 , 200 hoplite s , and 300 cavalry , along with many other troops from Athens ' allies . He recaptured Torone and Scione ; at Scione , the Spartan commander Pasitelidas was killed . He then took up position at Eion , while Brasidas took his position at Cerdylion ( also Latinized as " Cerdylium " ) . Brasidas had about 2 , 000 hoplites and 300 cavalry , plus some other troops in Amphipolis , but he did not feel that he could defeat Cleon in a pitched battle . Brasidas then moved his forces back into Amphipolis and prepared to attack ; when Cleon realized an attack was coming , and being reluctant to fight before expected reinforcements arrived , he began to retreat ; the retreat was badly arranged and Brasidas attacked boldly against a disorganised enemy , achieving victory . In an excerpt of Brasidas ' brief pre - battle speech , he specially addressed the allied Lacedaemonian forces , whom he assigned under Clearidas ' leadership , while for himself he handpicked a hundred and fifty Spartan hoplites ; he said : " . . bear in mind that the three virtues of a good soldier are zeal in battle , sense of honor and obedience to the leaders . . and I will reveal that I will conduct myself in action following the advice I give to my comrades . " In the rout that followed , Brasidas was mortally injured , although the Athenians did not realize it . Cleon was also killed when he was attacked by troops under the Spartan commander Clearidas . The entire Athenian army fled back to Eion , although about 600 of them were killed before they reached the port . Only seven other Spartans were killed . Results . Brasidas lived long enough to learn of his victory , and was honorably buried in the agora area of Amphipolis . The Amphipolitans began to regard him as a hero and the founder of the city . After the battle , neither the Athenians or the Spartans wanted to continue the war ( Cleon and Brasidas being the most hawkish members from each side ) , and the Peace of Nicias was signed in 421 BC . This treaty was also eventually broken . Thucydides was exiled for his failure to protect Amphipolis , thus ending the period of the war in which he directly participated . Ch . Koukouli - Chrysanthaki in her three decade research at Amphipolis offers evidence of the recovery and identification of Brasidas ' burial at the ancient Amphipolis ' agora .