Alcibiades was an Athenian politician and general. He was not yet twenty years old when the Archidamian War, which was the first phase of the Peloponnesian War, broke out. This was basically a war between the Greek city states of Athens and Sparta. By the time Alcibiades grew up, Athens was beginning to lose the war. Even though he was a brilliant general, he fell out of favour, and was forced to flee Athens. He went to Sparta, and managed to turn the course of the war against his old city.
Eventually, however, he fell out of favour in Sparta as well, and was forced to flee again. He was welcomed back by the Athenian troops, and under his direction, the tide of war once again turned in favour of Athens, but only until Alcibiades was exiled for a second time. Athens eventually lost the war!
