Nicias

Nicias(d. 413 B.C.), son of Niceratus, a distinguished Athenian war minister and general, a supporter of Pericles and afterwards the opponent of Cleon and Alcibiades. He was very superstitious and cautious, yet was generally successful in military and naval operations, though his successes were not very important. He succeeded in bringing about a peace in 421 B.C. War, however, was soon resumed. Nicias opposed the expedition to Sicily in 415, but when it was agreed upon he accepted the command with Alcibiades and Zamachus. On the death of Alcibiades, Nicias became practically sole general, and in 414 was on the point of capturing Syracuse when the Spartan Gylippus came to the rescue, with the result that, though Demosthenes brought Athenian reinforcements in 413, the Athenians were utterly defeated in that year. Nicias's blunders drove them to surrender, whereupon Nicias and Demosthenes were put to death by the Syracusans. It is fair to say that Nicias, owing to broken health, had, in 414, asked to be relieved of his command.