Scholars have largely ignored the differences between Xenephon’s character sketch of the Spartan leader Klearchos in the Anabasis 2.76.1-15, and his description of the general elsewhere in the work. The paper traces the career of Klearchos and the nature of his leadership as described in the Anabasis. It also examines to what extent the character sketch of Klearchos corresponds to, complements, or contradicts his portrayal in the rest of his narrative, and why.