Name: Andros

Born: 512 BC

Died: 440 BC

City/region: Island of Samos

Affiliation: Greek

Occupation: Shoe maker, Armour craftsman, professional soldier.

Following the conquest of Samos in 517 by the Persians and the island’s ‘de-population’, the Persian, Otanes, repopulated it only a couple of years later and one of the new citizens was Athenagoras of Ephosus, an artisan who made shoes.  He was married to Apollonia and shortly after arriving, in 512 b.c., they had a son, Andros.

Andros was taught the family trade by his father, but struggled to attain the same skill level and it would be fair to say that his attempts were more ‘functional’ than ‘desirable’.

In 499 b.c., when Andros was just 13 years of age, Samos joined the Ionian revolt and in the race to build up their navy and prepare it’s men, there was a great demand for equipment and Andros began making linothorax armour.  A skill where ‘functionality’ of build became an advantage and where there were riches to be made.  Over the next couple of years he became very skilled in this trade and by early 495 b.c., when he was just 17 years of age, he was living a very comfy lifestyle.

Indeed, so comfy that he could afford to take a pilgrimage to Delphi, where he was struck by one of the old legends on the wall in ancient Doric.  This read, “Alongside a pledge often comes disaster” and this had a great impression on young Andros, who saw this as a timely message from the gods telling him to be very careful about what he committed himself to.

When he returned to Samos he took up arms and, thinking that fighting on land was a sure route to personal harm if a battle was to ensue, contrived to serve as a marine aboard the Zeus, a trireme with a compliment of 170 oarsmen 12 marines and 4 archers, hired from scythia.  His skill in armour making ensuring him a position, despite his young age.  This seemed to be a good move until, just one year later in 494 b.c., he found himself with the Samian fleet alongside Ionian allies, just off the island of Lade.

The Ionians had amassed 353 vessels from the various Ionian states and this was, indeed, a mighty fleet.  However they faced some 600 Persian vessels (although not all were war ships) and the mood amongst the Ionians was not good.

Morale was particularly bad on the ships from Samos and the feeling was strong that this would be a one sided battle…. and they were on the wrong side!  The Persians made offers of quarter if ships withdrew and after consideration and discussion amongst the various ships’ captains, influenced, no doubt, by the expressions of concern amongst the crew (of which Andros was not backward in voicing his opinion) the Samos fleet decided to withdraw.  Signalling a mass withdrawal by first the Lesbos fleet and then a string of other vessels.

For Andros, however, this did not quite go to plan.  11 of the Samian triremes elected to honour their pledge to fight, stay and close for battle.  The Zeus was one of those triremes and as most of the Samian ships sailed out into the Aegean, Andros could be seen taking up position with his fellow marines, heading at ramming speed towards the nearest Persian ship.  No doubt with the Delphic words wringing in his head.

The Zeus fought well and the young Andros discovered that he was as capable as the next in the art of fighting, but the battle was short and after attacking and sinking the first Persian ship, they were less fortunate with the second.  A short time later he found himself clinging to a floating piece of wreckage heading for the deserted island shore.

Together with a handful of other survivors they recovered some wreckage and eventually made it to the mainland, where they planned to make for home and so headed north.  They subsequently discovered along the way that Samos had surrendered to the Persians and had made the traditional gift of earth and water.  So they decided to head for Zankle instead, deep in the Mediterranean where they had heard that a number of fellow citizens had already fled to exile.

Their route back down south took them via Naxos and they arrived there in 490 b.c only two days ahead of the Persian army.  Being destitute by this time and unable to get off the island they offered their services and thus fought alongside the Naxians as the Persians landed and pressed forward into the hills.  Once again though, this did not go well and Andros was lucky to escape enslavement when he boarded a fishing vessel heading back north for Eretria with some of his colleagues.

This had seemed a good idea at the time but history again repeated itself.  The Persians were following closely behind in a rush to invade the mainland.  He then fought alongside the Eretrians in a tough and ultimately costly 6 day campaign and again escaped, this time to mainland Greece.  Tired, confused and virtually poverty stricken.

Together with a motley collection of escapees, including both those of Greek and Scythian descent, the only real way forward was to offer their martial services and the next 10 years were spent wandering the Greek mainland, fighting for whoever would pay in petty squabbles between states.

By 480 though, the Persian army was again on the march and Andros, now 32, together with a few of his remaining colleagues found himself in Magara as they were preparing their fleet for war.  Enlisting again as a marine he very quickly found himself facing the Persian fleet at the battle of Artemesium and, one month later, at Salamis.  This time his ship did not sink and Andros served with some distinction.  On one occasion being the first aboard a rammed, Persian ship.

As fortune would have it, his ship was also one of those that crossed the Aegean with the Athenian fleet a short time later in 479 b.c., in pursuit of the retreating Persians with the objective of recovering Samos.  Finding that the Persians had fled the island they sailed to the mainland and found them prepared for battle at Mycale.  Andros was landed alongside the Athenian hoplites and once again found himself in a land battle, but this time fighting for his home and promoted to ouragos in reflection of his experience.

Victory ensued and after the battle Andros settled once again in Samos and tried to make a living by following his old trade.  Sadly his building skills had not improved and after so many years of adventure he found it difficult to settle down.

With the infighting taking place within the Delian League states there was a lot of work for professional soldiers and Andros eventually returned to his old trade, travelling around the Aegean.  He was fighting with Thasos in 465/4 b.c. and, in 458 b.c. at the ripe old age of 54, with a pronounced limp and more aches and scars than he would care to discuss, found himself at Megara fighting for the Athenians against the Corinthians as one of the army “composed of those too young or old for regular military service”.

Andros then took a role for the Athenian navy, to help train marines, and found himself back at Salamis in 450 b.c., aged 62 and once again facing the Persians.  A resounding victory for Athens but an engagement that left Andros with yet more scars and a realisation that war was a young person’s profession.

Returning to Samos he had just enough booty to live a comfortable if not frugal life when Samos itself revolted against Athens in 440 b.c.  At the age of 72, Andros finally made a commitment and offered his services.  He was never heard of again.  His only legacy being a monument raised in Samos following the battle of Lade in 494 b.c., honouring citizens who did not run at the sight of the Persian fleet.