PHORMION

died c. 428 BC brilliant Athenian admiral who won several engagements before and during the Peloponnesian War. Phormion was one of the generals leading reinforcements to the Athenian siege of Samos in 440. He assisted the Acarnanians and Amphilochians against Ambracia, which resulted in an alliance with Acarnania that was useful to Athens. In 432-431 he headed the siege of Potidaea and was sent with 20 ships to block the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. There in the summer of 429 he won two brilliant victories. In the first, he defeated 47 Peloponnesian ships that were advancing to reinforce the Spartan Cnemus' campaign in Acarnania; in the second battle, he routed Cnemus' 77-vessel fleet.