Thimbron

or Thibron (Θίμβρων, Θίβρων).

1. A Lacedaemonian, was sent out as harmost in B. C. 400, with an army of about 5000 men, to aid the Ionians against Tissaphernes, who wished to bring them into subjection. On Thimbron's arrival in Asia he collected reinforcements, among which the most important was the mass of the Cyrean Greeks at Pergamus, and he succeeded in gaining over or capturing several cities. But meanwhile he allowed his troops to plunder the country of their allies, and he was therefore superseded by Dercyllidas, and obliged to return to Sparta, where he was brought to trial, and fined. It would appear that he was unable to pay the penalty, and went into exile. But in B. C. 392 (for there is no reason to suppose this a different person) we again find him sent by the Lacedaemonians into Asia to command against Struthas. He seems, however, to have been still, as before, careless of his duties and neglectful of discipline, while he was addicted also to convivial pleasures. One day, accordingly, Struthas purposely sent some Persian cavalry to commit depredations within sight of Thimbron. The latter sallied forth in a disorderly manner to check them, and Struthas suddenly came up with a superior force, by which Thimbron was defeated and slain. (Xen. Anab. 7.6.1, 8.24, Hell. 3. §§ 4-8, 4.8. §§ 17-19; Diod. 14.36_38; Isocr. Paneg. p. 70d; Polyaen. 2.19.)

2. A Lacedaemonian, was a confidential officer of Harpalus, the Macedonian satrap of Babylon under Alexander the Great. According to one account it was Thimbron who murdered Harpalus in Crete, in B. C. 324. [Harpalus, No. 1.] He then possessed himself of his late master's treasures, fleet, and army, and, ostensibly espousing the cause of some Cyrenaean exiles, sailed to Cyrene with the intention of subjugating it. He defeated the Cyrenaeans in a battle, obtained possession of their harbour, Apollonia, together with the treasures he found there, and compelled them to capitulate on condition of paying him 500 talents, and supplying him with half of their warchariots for his expeditions. This agreement, however, they were soon induced to repudiate by Mnasicles, one of Thimbron's officers, who had deserted his standard, and gone over to the enemy. Under the able direction of Mnasicles, the Cyrenaeans recovered Apollonia, and, though Thimbron was aided by the Barcaeans and Hesperians, and succeeded in taking the town of Teucheira, yet, on the whole, his fortunes declined, and he met besides with a severe disaster in the loss of a great number of his men, who were slain or captured by the enemy, and in the almost total destruction of his fleet by a storm. Not discouraged, however, he collected reinforcements from the Peloponnesus, defeated the Cyrenaeans (who were now aided by the Libyans and Carthaginians), and closely besieged Cyrene. Pressed by scarcity, the citizens quarrelled among themselves, and the chiefs of the oligarchical party, being driven out, betook themselves parly to Ptolemy Largi, king of Egypt, and partly to Thimbron. Ptolemy thereupon sent a large force against Cyrene under Ophellas, to whom the exiles, who had taken refuge with Thimbron, endeavoured to escape, but were detected, and put to death. The Cyrenaean people then made common cause with Thimbron against the new invader ; but Ophellas defeated him, and he was obliged to seek safety in flight. He fell, however, into the hands of some Libyans, and was by them oblivered up to Epicydes, an Olynthian, whom Ophellas, leaving taken Teucheira, had made governor of the town. The citizens of Teucheira, with the sanction of Opheallas, sent Thimbron to Apollonia, the scene of much of his violence and extortion, to be crucified, B. C. 322. (Diod. 17.108, 18.19_21; Arr. apud Plot. cod. 92; Strab. xvii. p.837; Just. 13.6, 8; Oros. 3.23.) [E.E]