Editing Conon (section)

==Defeat at Aegospotami==
Conon had been sent out to lead the Athenian forces following the recall of [[Alcibiades]] in 406 BC, and in 405 BC pursued the Peloponnesian fleet under [[Lysander]] to the Hellespont. Once there, the Peloponnesian took up a strong defensive position at [[Lampsacus]] and as they could not lure them out, the Athenians retreated to [[Aegospotami]].  Alcibiades came to warn them of the danger of their position, as they were based on an open beach without harbours, and advised them to move to [[Sestos]] about two miles away from where they were retrieving supplies.  It seems that Alcibiades' advice was ignored and perhaps ridiculed.

On the fifth day of the stand-off, Lysander sent out scouts to spy on the Athenians. They signalled the main army once the Athenian crews had disembarked to take their meals. Thus when Lysander attacked almost the entire Athenian navy was caught unprepared and captured without resistance, and all the men taken were put to death. It was generally believed that some kind of treachery was involved, but Conon himself was never implicated. His ship was one of nine which escaped the disaster, boldly rushing to Lampsacus where the Spartans had left their fleet's sails (as was typical before a naval battle) and so preventing any effective means of pursuit. One of the nine Athenian ships to escape, the [[Paralus (ship)|Paralus]], returned to Athens, while Conon, with the other eight ships, fled to [[Evagoras I|Evagoras]] of [[Cyprus]], fearing the judgement of the Athenian people.