Greece and Persia Flashcards
What does Herodotus suggest was one of the key factors for the failure of the Ionian revolt?
Lack of unity between the Greek states caused disorganization and disloyalty
What does Hdt. think was a primary reason for Hellenic victory over Persia?
The Hellenic league was formed which brought about Greek unity and strong leadership; although this can be countered by the eventual Ionian discontent (Pausanias’ tyranny)
What does Hdt. describe the Thebans as at Platea in 479?
“Persia’s firm friends” - ie. they were traitors and Medisers; example of Hdt. anti-Theban bias
What does Hdt. refer to the battle of Mycale (479) to?
“the second Ionian revolt.”
What does the serpent column at Delphi display?
The names of 31 states that fought Persia and won at Platea in 479 - show of unity
In book 7, what did Hdt. state all Greek states collectively swear to do?
“Punish all men of Greek blood, who without compulsion yielded to the Persians”
Was Athens significant in defeating Persia? What did they do?
Yes, they provided a strong naval force and compelled other allies to fight with them
How does Eurybiades’ decision to fight at Salamis emphasize Athenian importance in the fight against Persia?
Hdt. 8.63: ““his chief motive was apprehension of losing Athenian support” - Athenian navy required despite the city being seized and the citizens being mere refugees
What would Greek naval advances look like without Athens?
“there would have been no attempt to resist the Persians by sea” Hdt. 7.139 - basically responsible for half the fighting
Hdt. unpopular opinion on why Greece defeated Persia?
Believes success down to Athenian navy (Athens was unpopular at the time of writing for being a bit enslave-y)
Significance of leadership in Persian wars?
Outcome resulted from strong Greek leadership and poor Persian leadership
Which leaders exemplified strong Greek leadership (Persian wars)?
Leonidas - Thermopylae, spartan king; Miltiades - marathon, Athenian; Themistocles - Salamis, advocate for Athenian navy;
Callimachus - marathon;
Leotychides - Spartan king
Examples of poor leaders on Persian side?
Xerxes - petulant child (according to Hdt.)
Mardonius - arrogant, hubristic
Who was favorite for Hegemon in the Persian wars?
“the other members of the confederacy stipulated for a Lacedaemonian commander” - Hdt. 8
Example of Themistocles’ tactical prowess?
Foresight at Salamis: “fighting in a confined space favors us but the open sea favors the enemy” Hdt. 8
What are Xerxes’ worst enemies?
Artabanus says his greatest enemies are “the land and the sea” Hdt. 7.49
faces opposition from all sides
What disadvantages did Persia face on campaign?
Far from home - demoralization; poor supply lines (“streams of water ran dry… how were there provisions sufficient for so many tens of thousands” Hdt. 7.187); poor terrain; unsuitable armor; poor quality troops (Hdt. 7.210 “among so many people there were few real men… Lakedaemonians…showing themselves skilled fighters against unskilled”)
Why did Xerxes turn back at Attica?
“his reason for abandoning Attica was that it as bad country for cavalry” Hdt. 9.13
How did Persian forces compare to Greek in battle?
“in courage and strength, they were as good as their adversaries but they were deficient in armor, untrained and greatly inferior in skill” Hdt.9.62
Why did Greeks prefer to fight in enclaves and Persians in open ground?
“the Persians using shorter spears than the Greeks had no advantage from their numbers” Hdt. 9
could systematically slaughter them without being overwhelmed by mass
Why did Greeks win at Artemisium and Salamis?
Dumb luck. Themistocles trickery worked, in book 8 Hdt. writes of how he sent a message to Xerxes outlining Greek plans to flrr and luring them into the narrow straits where the lighter vessels of the Greeks outmaneuvered them
Persia lost half fleet to storms at Artemisium (Hdt. 8)
What was significance of Peloponnesian allies in starting the Peloponnesian war?
High, start of conflict attributed to Megarian decree, Corinthian complaint and siege of Potidea (all in 432bc)
When did Atheno-Corinthian relations sour and why?
from 460-459, Megara engaged in a border dispute with Corinth and joined the Delian league
“it was chiefly because of this that the Corinthians began to conceive a bitter hatred for Athens” Thuc. 1.103
How did Thuc. believe war could be stopped?
“war could be avoided if Athens would revoke the Megarian decree” Thuc. 1.139
How do Peloponnesian allies goad Sparta into fighting Athens?
Half beg, half threaten to desert:
Corinthian pleads “do not force the rest of us in despair to join a different alliance” Thuc. 1.71 - corinthian complaint of 432
Main argument for Sparta being cause for Peloponnesian wars by irritating allies?
“when one is deprived of one’s liberty one is right in blaming not so much the man who puts the fetters on as the one who had the power to prevent him but did not use it” Thuc.
Ie. Spartans were reluctant to fight when they were not immediately at risk, allies felt unsupported, unimportant, ignored
What was the significance of Athens’ growing power in Greek tensions?
“what made war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta” (Thuc. 1.23)
War was a product of Athenian hubris and Spartan jealousy/insecurity
Why did Sparta send embassy to athens after the last battles of the persian wars?
Athens wanted to refortify and build the long walls but the Peloponnesian allies “were alarmed both by the sudden growth of athenian sea power” (Thuc. 1.90)
Themistocles held the embassies in Athens until walls complete so sparta couldn’t stop them
Why did sparta try to stop Athens from building the long walls after the Persian wars?
- Spartans hate walls.
- They saw the growing power as a threat to the hegemony and wider Greece, they also believed that a Persian resurgence could use it in epiteichismos and further threaten Greece
Why did the Athenians need the 30 year peace of 446?
They had lost their land empire in 447 and faced the revolts of Euboea and Megara (Peloponnesians invited to invade Attica).
They needed a temporary respite but were as such not serious about long term peace
Hence where the accusations of Athens bribing Pleistoanax to leave came from
Why did the Spartans want the 30 year peace?
They may have suffered from a helot revolt or olliganthropia may have caught up with them - which would support Pleistoanax leaving without being bribed
What indicates that Sparta considered breaking the 30 year peace?
“we prevented the peloponnesian states from helping samos” (Thuc. 1.41)
They tried to use this as a show of good faith to Athens but the saw the treacherous side
How was Athenian imperialism used as a justification to begin the Archidamian war?
In 432, Sparta sent an ultimatum to Athens:
“Sparta wants peace. Peace is still possible if you give the hellenes their freedom” (Thuc.)
This significant stimulant of the conflict was inspired by the Athenians’ supposed oppression
How did Athenian demagogy contribute to failure after Arginusae?
They executed 6/8 generals who successfully defeated the spartans and took77 ships because they opted not to recover bodies/survivors in stormy conditions (Xen. 1.7.34). They lost key leadership.
Thuc. blames the mistakes made in demagogy as the reasons Athens loses
How did Athenians’ disloyalty to leaders contribute to their downfall?
They ignored Perikles’ advice to hunker down and strengthen the navy, “attacking me [Perikles] for having spoken in favour of war and yourselves having voted for it” (Thuc. 2.60) which left the city open, they ostracised Great Kimon in 461 (recalled in 451).
Finally after the sicilian exped. “They turned against the public speakers who had been in favor of the expedition as though they themselves had not voted for it” (Thuc. 8.1)
How did revolts in the Athenian empire contribute to its downfall?
She couldn’t concentrate on a single front so overstretched resources:
“Athens with two wars on her hands… would now be easier to crush” (Thuc. 7.18)
and
“what wore them down more than anything else was the fact that they had 2 wars on their hands at once” (Thuc.)
How does Thuc. sum up Athenian imperialism and ambition?
“just as they won an empire in hellas, They are trying to win another one here”
Shows they planned poorly and had only precariously established power
How does The Corinthian complaint advocate for Athenian imperialism and why it was negative?
“they are always abroad” (Thuc.) implying that they weren’t looking after their own affairs and were too busy subjugating and meddling in others’
Who did the Greeks see as the “good guys”?
Sparta and the Peloponnese were seen as the “liberators of Hellas” and Athenians as the tyrants of the peninsula
How did the rest of Greece react to The Athenian’s disaster in sicily?
“the whole of hellas, after the great disaster in Sicily, turned immediately against Athens” (Thuc.)
then neutral states turned against her and “the subjects of athens were all ready to revolt”
This caused Athens to lose any popular support and contributed to losing the war
How was Brasidas detrimental to the Athenian cause?
“the Athenians also feared that their allies would revolt, since Brasidas was… constantly declaring wherever he went that his mission was the liberation of Hellas” Which compounded with Athens’ defeat at Delium in 424 resulted in “them [the subjugates] begging him to march on their territory” (Thuc.)
Where did people’s alliances lie at the start of the peloponnesian war?
“people’s feelings were generally very much on the side of the Spartans” (Thuc. 2.8)
This does not paint Sparta as the aggressors, if it did, it would be portraying them as freedom fighters not terrorists
How does Persian money lead to Sparta becoming a military power?
Cyrus “gave to Lysander all the tribute which came in from his cities and which belonged to him personally” (Xen. 2.1.13) this was no small sum and was able to kit sparta out with troops and artillery
What was the pay gap for sailors at the end of the war and what did ths achieve?
Cyrus sponsored Sparta to pay 4 obols over the Athenian 3, so “he made the ships of his enemies empty” (Plut. lys. 4) which left mercenary-dependant Athens useless
Who suggested the fortification of Decelea and what happened as a result?
Alcibiades said “you must fortify decelea in attica” (Thuc. 6.91) to sparta as an epiticismos and caused Thuc. to decide in 7.27 that “the occupation of Decelea… was one of the chief reasons for the decline of athenian power” because it directly hindered Athenian hiding tactics and made a self supporting enemy attacking from within
What were 2 direct repercussions of the occupation of Decelea?
- 20000 slaves deserted Athens, many from Larium
- Imports from Euboea now had to travel round Sunium
(Thuc. 2.27)
What were the downsides to Athens being held up in the city walls?
“every single thing that the city needed had to be imported so that instead of a city it became a fortress” (Thuc. 7.27) - effectively putting themselves under siege
“the plague which did more harm and destroyed more life than almost any other single factor” (Thuc. 1.23) this wiped out swathes of hoplites without even any territorial gains
How did the allies see the Spartans?
for the Hellenic league, “the other members of the confederacy had stipulated for a lacedaemonian commander” (Hdt. 8), Leotychides and the spartans go home when they see the Hellespont bridge is down (athens wants to keep fighting - Hdt. 9) and despite their number, pelops. retreat on Agis’ orders from Argos “the Lacedaemonians and their allies followed his lead as their law required”
Shows they saw Sparta as great leaders and wise in battle - not to be argued
Was the Peloponnesian’s vote in the league assembly equal to the spartans?
No, It was bi-cameral, shown in 433 referring to the samos revolt (Thuc. 1.41) “We prevented the peloponnesian states from helping Samos”
Decisions passed through the states first and final decision made by Spartans in apella
How do the relationships within the Peloponnesian league deteriorate over time?
Corinthian complaint, treaties become Sparta centric, Mantinea allies with Athens, Ellis and Argos not to mention the further loss of allies to Athens
How do Peloponnesian allies exemplify deterioration of relationships in 421?
Allies refuse to sign peace of Nicias as they don’t fins the terms fair (Thuc. 5.22)
What comes of distrust arising between Argos and Sparta?
Argos refuses to make a new treaty and in fear of a war with her, Sparta strikes up a treaty with Athens (Thuc. 5.22) - an example of how relationships between allies can change trajectory of war; what states will do for friendship
What did cynics believe was Pleistoanax’s reason for suing for peace?
His enemies accused him of bribing the delphic priestesses in order to remain king, his pursuit of peace was supposedly a distraction to draw attention away from this (Thuc 5.16) - an example of Sparta -centric policy not for good of league but to cover internal affairs
What was the attitude to continued warfare held by the Spartans at the end of the period?
“Spartan opinion was, in fact, in favour of peace” due to Sphacteria, forts in Pylos and Cythera, threat of helot revolt, the 30 year peace with Argos expiring and “the two people who on each side had been most opposed to peace were now dead” (Thuc.) - Cleon and Brasidas
Why did megara join the delian league in 460 - 459 and what did this cause?
She was engaged in a border war with corinth “and it was chiefly because of this that Corinthians began to conceive a bitter hatred for Athens” (Thuc.)
What was the reason for the Corinthian complaint?
Siege of Potidea, Athenian growth in power, Spartan inactivity
Why did the Spartans send an embassy to Athenson not building walls?
Mainly because their allies “were alarmed both by the sudden growth of Athenian sea power and the daring which the Athenians had shown in the war against the Persians” (Thuc 1.90) - Implies grievances of allies large factor to build up to war; by 78, Sparta was no longer unquestionable leader - She faced minor opposition from allies
What does Thuc. say the Athenians’ reason for the Megarian decree of 432 is?
Megarians supposedly farmed some sacred ground and gave shelter to some escaped slaves (Thuc. 1.139)
What does aristophanes believe the cause of the Megarian decree was?
Some of Aspasia’s (Perikles’ mistress) prostitutes were stolen by Megarians (Acharnians 524 - 39)
This is a relatively contemporary account of 411, although it is satirical and used for humorous effect, it is likely this reflected popular opinion of the time so is not completely discredited
What is the historical debate around the Delian league’s formation in 477?
Whether it was created to dislodge the Spartans as hegemon of Greece, To establish a naval empire, or it really was just for protection against Persia and goals just shifted later on
Why did Athens take control of Greek efforts against the persians?
- Sparta was dealing with a Helot revolt and earthquake so didn’t have the resources
- Regent Pausanias (commander from Sparta) behaved tyrannically and allies wanted an Athenian leader
- Athens had more economic resources and more of an incentive to continue persian war since they were closer on the direct marching/sailing line
Hdt.s reason for Athenians seizing command in 478?
“the Athenians mad the insufferable behaviour of Pausanias their excuse for depriving the Lacedaemonians of command” (Hdt. 8.3)
Why did Sparta give up naval hegemony and was this willing?
(Thuc. 1.95) Spartans “no longer wanted to be burdened with the war with persia” although, Diodorus believes that they were not as happy as Thuc. says to give up command.
It’s believed the were forced to because Pausanias had disgraces them - “dressed in Persian style of clothing” (Thuc 1.130). This along with his tyranny caused Sparta to strike his name from the serpent column (Thuc. 1.131)
Did the allies choose to Join the delian league?
At first, yes due to “the Justice of Aristides and affability shown by Kimon” (Plut. Aris. 23) although later it was thought some states were forced to join (eg. Naxos forbidden to leave league) so it reflected more of an empire
How does Athens justify existence of Delian league in 432 in the Apella?
“we did not gain this empire by force. It came to us at a time when you were unwilling to fight on the end against the Persians” (Thuc.)
Unapologetic to imperialism, mostly true for the beginning of the league
In what ways does the Delian league become the athenian empire?
Treasury is moved from delos to athens (454-453), Allies are not permitted to leave (Naxian of 470, Athens invades Aegina, Mytilene revolt, etc.) Allies forced to pay tribute - originally 460 T (now thought too high - see tribute lists - then raised with Thoudippos decree 424)
Example of the Delian league being a one way benefit to athens?
“Athenian navy grew strong at their [the allies’] expense” (Thuc. 1.99)
League takes Scyros a town in Eion in (476-5) for its mineral wealth and ample shipbuilding timber - not response to Persian threat (Thuc.)
Where was the first place to be forced into the delian league?
Euboean town of Carystus was forced in in 472 marking the shift from league to Athenian empire (Thuc.)
How does Thuc. describe the quashing of the Naxian revolt (470-69)?
“the first case when the original constitution of the league was broken and an allied city lost its independence” (Thuc. 1.98) - beginning of Athenian tyranny
Why did attempts to leave the Delian league fail?
Revolting members were “inadequately armed and inexperienced in war” (Thuc. 1.99) probably caused by Athens starving them of resources
How did Delian allies get around sending troops?
Kimon “accepted money or empty ships from all those people who were unwilling to serve abroad” (Plut. Kimon 11)
Originally this helped the allies maintain their small populi, eventually it lead to Athens having the whole resources of the league under her sole command which could bee used against them
What was the initial tribute for the Delian league and what occurred as a result of this?
Plut. and Thuc. agree it was set at 460 talents, Diodorus claims it was 560 (all are now considered too high)
this caused members’ “sunk into the positions of tributaries and subjects instead of allies” (Plut. Kimon 11)
This money was then spent on Athenian public works (Plut. Aris. 24)
What happens to the Delian league after the peace of Callias?
Nothing. Athens doesn’t disband the Delian league despite its purpose being fulfilled showing its siftt to empire
What stopped Athens getting rid of the empire?
“security, Honor and self interest” according to Thuc.
How does Perikles describe the later Athenian empire in 429?
“Your empire is now a tyranny: it may have been wrong to take it; it is certainly dangerous to let it go” (Thuc. 2.63)
Clear portrayal of fear during the plague from one of the wisest statesmen who has recently been turned against - First inkling of demise?
How does Plut. describe Kimon’s actions against persia?
“No man did more than Kimon to humble the pride of the great king” (Plut. Kimon 12)
why did the initial peace between Athens and Persia in 468 occur?
Eurymedon “so dashed the king’s hopes that he accepted the terms of that notorious peace” (Plut. Kimon 13)
Hypothetically, the league could have first been disbanded here showing Athenian corruption of power.
What is the debate around the peace of Callias?
(Harpokration): Theopompus claimed “the treaty with the persians is a fake” due to it being written in another, later alphabet and was used to retrospectively advance athenian power.
Hdt. claims that Callias did go to Susa in the reign of Artaxerxes though (7.150) giving credence to the 449 treaty
What shows the deterioration of the Delian league over the period?
Later, there are more frequent revolts than before with Thrace being happy to go over to Brasidas and the onset of the Ionian war
What was the oath of the Chalcidians and what did this show?
The Euboean townsfolk had to swear in 446 “I will not revolt from the people of Athens” (Aelian Varia, Historia 6.1) after an attempted revolt.
Suggests Athenian paranoia and insinuates more of a tyranny than an alliance
What were the Spartans thoughts on the Thasos revolt of 465?
They would have aided in revolt if not for the earthquake and helot revolt (Thuc. 1.101) - suggests a desire of willingness to break peace with Athens, cements liberators of Hellas
What happens after the Euboean revolt?
in 446, Sparta is given the chance to invade Attica but Pleistoanax has them turn around spontaneously (Thuc. 1.114) this was later thought to be bribery but equally could have been another domestic problem such as a helot uprising
What happened after the battle of Coronea (447) according to Thuc. 4.108?
“the Athenians made a treaty by which they got back their prisoners at the price of evacuating the whole of Boeotia”
What occured in 440?
the Samian revolt.
after dispute with Miletus, Samos revolts from Athens (problematic since they were a ship providing ally) peloponnesians were going to help samians but corinth “prevented the Peloponnesian states from helping Samos” (Thuc. 1.41) - growing insurrection in Athenian Empire
What did northern Greek cities prepare to do in 424 and why?
Tired of Athenian Tyranny, prepared to revolt and turned to Brasidas who swore his mission was to liberate Greece (Thuc 4.108)
What was the consequence of the Sicilian expeditions in terms of allies of Athens?
“the whole of Hellas, after the great disaster in Sicily, turned immediately against Athens” (Thuc.) and the neutral states all went over to sparta seeming as all allies were ready to revolt, clearly choosing the winning side
What was the reason for the Mardonius expedition in 492?
“Eretrea and Athens as his main objectives” (Hdt 6.43) since Darius wanted recompension from the two after they sided with the ionians during the Ionian revolt (“master, remember the Athenians” - Hdt. 6).
On the way through the archipelago, He set up democracies and fair tribute during pacification processes
What was the result of the Achaemenid Dynasty for Greeks?
During the reigns of Darius, Xerxes and Artaxerxes, “Greece suffered more evils than in the 20 generations before Darius was born” (Hdt. 6.98)
What does Darius ask for in the second persian invasion (490)?
For states to medise by providing earth and water as terms of submission - this caused many persian forces to consist of greeks and would prove as a basis for founding the Delian league
How is Hdts. anti - Theban bias apparent in his portrayal of Platea?
Describes them as “Persia’s firm friends”. Bias may be from extensive time spent in Athens who held a 6th century grudge from the prevalence of the Boeotian league
How did the Athenians display bravery at Marathon?
Basically imitated Sparta in courage and liberative acts:
“the Athenians advanced at a run towards the enemy”, “the first who dared to look without flinching at persian dress” when faced with Callimachus choice “to enslave Athens or make her free”
(Hdt. 6.109 - 112) puts Athens as a real threat to Sparta
How many died at marathon?
6400 Persians, 192 Athenians - Spartans arrived after battle to inspect corpses and conceded Athens did a good job (Hdt.)
What is the serpent column?
A bronze column originally located at Delphi with the names of city states who fought in the Persian wars, It is evidence of greek unity and willingness to fight of the 31 names on the pillar
What happened after Athens decided to stay in the persian theatre and sparta left?
Under Xanthippus, What was to become the delian league “laid siege to Sestos” (Hdt. 9, agreed by Thuc.) in 479
What was kimon’s contribution to the battle of Eurymedon?
“like a champion athlete, He carried off two victories in a single day” (Plut. Kimon 13)
shows strong Athenian leadership And growing belief among allies that they were better than Sparta - The popular athletes to the disciplinarian
What came of the Athenian Egyptian campaign of 460?
“At first, the Athenians were masters of Egypt… But after 6 years of war, this… came to nothing” (Thuc.) After the Persians unsuccessfully Asked the Spartans to invade Attica so that Athens may abandon their fronteir
Who did Samos end up making an alliance with in 440?
Persia, in an effort to gain their independence when Athens did not choose their side and Corinth refused them Peloponnesian Aid
What did Archidamos hope to achieve in allying with Persia?
Publicly, “to make new allies among Hellenes and among foreigners” but this was more likely motivated by his need for a navy and lack of Sailors, ships and money to build one (Thuc.)
Why were Tissaphernes and Pharnabazus in competition?
Each wanted to “gain credit for bringing the Spartans into alliance with the king” (Thuc. 8.6) since Persia had grown to resent Athenian power and believed the Spartans able to restore order to the mediterranean
When does sparta first get real help from the Persians?
In 407 - Alcibiades secures funds for sparta (Xen. Hell. 1.4 - 5) in 411 but in 407 Cyrus convinces his father, Darius (king) not to negotiate with Athens and Pay the extra Obol to Lysander’s troops
What did the first treaty (412/11) between Persia and Sparta recognise?
Persian claims over former territory - Ionia, Boeotia and Thessaly - Promises that they couldn’t yet secure and selling out Greeks just to win the war. As aristotle said, the fighting and winning was more to Sparta than the cause (Thuc.)
What did the second treaty between Sparta and Persia achieve?
ensured Persia would pay to maintain their troops when they asked for their aid (Thuc. 8.37) this also occurred in 412/11
What did the third Spartan - Persian treaty establish?
“It was intolerable for any agreement to stand under which the king was to rule over all the states that ever had been ruled over by himself or by his fathers” (Thuc.) so a new, better one was drawn up where Tissaphernes just promised to pay the spartan troops
Why did Tissaphernes stall bringing the 147 Phoenician ships?
“to wear down the Hellenic forces and to keep matters in suspense” (Thuc. 8.87) this is Thuc. viewpoint, seeing him as an agent of chaos and not to be trusted
What help did Cyrus give to sparta?
“gave to lysander all the tribute which came in from his cities and belonged to him personally” (Xen. Hell. 2.1.13) which “made the ships of his enemies empty” (Plut. lys. 4) when he paid 4 obols a man rather than 3.
It was because of Cyrus personally that sparta won the war.
What was the relationship between athens and corinth?
Poor, Megara had a border war with Corinth, Joined Delian league - “it was chiefly because of this that Corinth began to conceive a bitter hatred of athens” (Thuc.)
Hdt also writes that Ademantius and Corinthians run away at salamis; but this could be a product of their poor relations as he was writing
Despite this, They did not aid Samos in revolt and used this to show willing to athens
what are examples of poor atheno - corinthian relations in the 430s?
Corcyrean Delegation to athens before corcyrean affair states “corinth is your enemy and also influential at sparta” (Thuc. 1.31) and fearing potidea may revolt in 433 after sybota, Athens ordered them to tear down their walls, remove magistrates and send hostages; They applied to Corinth to help who “therefore sent a a force of volunteers from Corinth itself” (Thuc. )
How did the battle of Sybota change the status between Athens and Corinth?
“corinth was now quite openly hostile” (Thuc.) after the battle - this could be representative of a growth in peloponnesian confidence after the victory and certainly forsees the Corinthian complaint
What effect did the peace of Nicias have on the peloponnesian allies?
“Corinth and various other cities in the Peloponnese were trying to upset the agreement, and Sparta found herself immediately in fresh trouble with her allies” since it aimed to redistribute territories an alliances without occupant’s consultation
What was Sparta’s constant suggestion before Thermopylae during the persian wars?
They should all retreat to the Isthmus of Corinth - Northern greeks were not happy about the prospect of losing territory so stood against it (Hdt.)
What significant events occured in 458?
Sparta and friends defeat Athens at Tangara but 62 days later, Athens defeat them at Oenophyta, securing Boeotia and Phocis (Thuc. 108)
Why is the one year peace signed in 421?
Thuc. suggests that the Spartans did so to get their hostages back (suffering with Oliganthropia) and Athens wanted to buy time to fortify their Territory/allies against the incoming Brasidas invasion
Alternatively, Argos refused to make a new treaty with Sparta, they panicked and turned to Athens (Thuc. 5.22)
What was the Outcome of Mantinea in 418?
Argive army marches against Sparta with 1000 Athenian hoplites and a Mantinean force; Sparta wins a resounding victory and reasserts Military dominance
What was Thuc. conservative estimate of athenian resources before pericles’ 431 speech?
600 talents yearly tribute
revenue
6000 acropolis reserve
Gold/silver on Athena statue
and temples
13,000 Hoplites in city
16,000 hoplites in empire
1200 thessalian cavalry
300 triremes (200 rowers
each)
Chios, Lesbos and Corcyra
providing ships
What did Themistocles persuade Athens to spend their silver revenue on?
“to spend it on the construction of 200 warships” (Hdt. 7.144)
modern historians doubt this and say it was more likely 100
Where did the ships at artemisium come from?
There were 271 ships in total, of which 127 were athenian - lots of naval power for ‘mere refugees’ (Hdt. 8)
what oracle was given to Athens about walls?
They were told that a “wooden Wall” would protect them from the persians, this either ment their actual wooden walls of the city or those of the ships. Themistocles convinced them it was the latter leading to their naval supremacy.
“the wooden wall would not be taken” (Hdt. 8.51)
Why were the long walls so effective?
They couldn’t be besieged easily “Every single thing that the city needed had to be imported, so that instead of a city it became more of a fortress” (Thuc. 7.27)
What did Athenians do with everything they owned outside the walls?
They brought their belongings in and sent their cattle to euboea (thuc.)
Why was strong leadership so important for Athens?
“in what was nominally a democracy, power was in the hands of the first citizen” (Thuc.) - despite allusions of populism, a strong helmsman was required to avoid chaos
What was the Periclean strategy recorded by Thuc?
“they were not to go out and offer battle, but were to come inside the city and guard it”
rely on navy and other empire resources; avoid engaging with sparta in pitched battle - destined to fail; instead use the fleet to harass allies of sparta.
Tighten hold of allies to avoid revolt: do not add to empire.
Who is a counterexample to strong Athenian leadership?
Cleon. After spahceria, sparta wants a truce but he declines for no obvious reason and proposes intolerable terms (Thuc. 4.21-22)
What was the attitude to sparta at the start of the peloponnesian war and why?
At the start of the Peloponnesian war, “Peoples feelings were very much on the side of the spartans” since they “proclaimed that their aim was the liberation of Hellas” (Thuc 2.9)
What was a consequence of Athenian demagoguey after arginusae?
They executed 6/8 successful generals who destroyed 77 enemy ships for not rescuing sailors/recovering bodies (Xen Hell. 1.7.34) leadership was beginning to falter by end of period and internal strife was ruining Athens
What proposal did Nicias think would stop the Sicilian expedition?
What actually happened?
Nicias made another speech in which h recommended more resources bing committed in the hopes this would dissuade Athens pursuing the expedition, but this backfired and everyone got more excited.
this resulted in 220 ships along with 6200 hoplites bing sent (1/2 empires resources) (Thuc. 6.24)
What contributes to the myth of Thermopylae/spartan mirage?
“they resisted with their swords, if they had them,and, if not, with their hands and teeth” along with the inscription on the mound:
“4000 here from pelops’ land, against 3 million once did stand” (Hdt. 7)
Ultimate spartan military supremacy
Why didn’t Sparta chase retreating enemies (Thuc. 5.73)?
They thought it “Un-greek” to hack their foes to pieces when they were cowards - its more than likely this was a tactic used to make more people surrender since they were successful either way
Why was the defeat at Pylos so unprecedented?
“The general impression was that the spartans would never surrender” (thuc. 4.40) very different display from thermopylae; shows complete change in greek relations and in sparta.
What proves counterexample to the Spartans being Greek liberators?
Thuc. describes the persian treaties of 412/11 where it took until the last agreement for the Spartans to realise it was immoral to sell their fellow Greeks into persian Subjugation
What does Xen. say about spartan professionalism?
“Lacedaemonians alone are true professionals in the overall conduct of war” since they were maintained by a greatly numerous slave population and lived their whole lives around military training
Why did Sparta need Persian funds?
Archidamus in his speech against the Peloponnesian war claimed “we have no public funds” (Thuc. 1.80) presumably because like Aristotle said they were bad at paying and deciding taxes (lots of money held in temples though…).
they didn’t export of do anything other than fight so they needed charity
When does oliganthropia first become obvious to the Athenians?
At the battle of Pylos, “The spartans order you to make your own decision about yourselves, so long as you do nothing dishonourable” (Thuc. 4.38) since the tradition was that Spartans would die before surrender it shows severe decrease in populus and hence power from times of Thermopylae
How many hoplites were captured at Sphacteria?
292 of the original 440, of which 120 were of the spartan officer class (Thuc. 4.38)
What does peace of Nicias show about Spartan relationship with allies?
Allies didn’t want it (didn’t like new distribution of territories), Sparta carried on regardless because it wanted prisoners back (Thuc.) - more of a treaty between Sparta and Athens which shows Sparta’s dominance in bicameral system.
This becomes a weakness for them as allies become unhappy, particularly since their power seems to be dwindling
Why was the Helot threat such a disadvantage of sparta - Example?
They never wanted to leave the Peloponnese for long so when Pheidippides is sent to Sparta for help during Marathon, they are slow to get there and their 2000 soldiers only arrive after the conclusion.
They claim this was the carneia but there is reason to suggest it was rather the helot threat. (Hdt. 6)
Why did Platea help Athens at marathon?
They had an alliance from years ago when the Spartans refused to ally with them since Boeotia was too far away (Hdt.) this would cost them a strong ally.
Why did Sparta send out troops with Perdiccas after the battle of Pylos?
As the town was under enemy control, friction was caused:
“Spartans were also glad to have a good excuse for sending some of their helots out of the country… they feared a revolution” (Thuc. 4.80)
The expulsion of cannon fodder would distract Athens from their assaults and draw them away from the peloponnese while cleansing the Helot populus
How long were invasions into Decelea during the Archidamian war?
They didn’t last more than a few weeks shortest 15 days because of Sphacteria; longest 40) because the Peloponnesian allies were farmers and campaigns took place during harvest season, there wasn’t enough Spartans to continue raids on their own
What happened at the conference of Samos after the persian defeat?
it was “proposed by the Peloponnesian leader to turn out the greeks who had supported Persia and settle the ionians in their commercial centres” (Hdt. bk. 9)
Spartans did not think Ionia was defensible and wanted to redistribute islanders in expulsed medisers territories. Athens opposed the idea to refranchise their colonies and allies on a Spartan whim - Start of tensions?
What evidences that the Spartans Didn’t like to leave the peloponnese for too long at the end of the persian wars?
When marching to the Hellespont with the rest of the Greek force, Leotychides and the Peloponnesians upon seeing that Xerxes bridge was down turned back when the Athenians and the rest of their allies under Xanthippus went on to besiege Sestos (Hdt. 9)
How does Sparta cunningly get rid of helots?
They got the helots to nominate each other for best military service, strength, etc. to be sent to war and possibly freed upon return and once the biggest and most able fighters were gathered, they massacred 2000 behind a temple (thuc.)
What was the risk of sending Spartan leaders abroad?
They got corrupted easily outside the harsh discipline:
“they feared when their officers went abroad they became corrupted” (Thuc.)
Pausanias was seen “dressed in the Persian style of clothing” (Thuc. 1.130)
What evidence suggests that Pleistoanax was bribed to leave Attica?
- Plut. Pericles 23: “pericles had 10 talents annually sent to sparta, and that by looking after the authorities in Sparta in this way he deferred the war”
- Thuc. :”pleistoanax… was exiled because he was supposed to have been bribed to retreat from Attica” after the Euboean revolt of 446
Which Spartan leader didn’t become corrupt?
Lysander. Aptly recognised as one of the best leaders of the conflict, the Mothake died a poor man while having access to the riches of Persia and the Ionian cities gratitude (Plut. lys.)
What did the Athenians concede about persian forces and how did they justify their engagement?
“the Persian strength is many times greater than our own [but]… such is our love of freedom” (Hdt. 8.143)
Athenians often knew their unlikelihood of victory but pressed on regardless
What did Hdt. 7.210 say about Persian forces and how does their performance at platea reflect this?
Xerxes “had in his army many men, indeed, but few soldiers” which is shown at Platea when “of the 300,000 men, not 3000 survived” (Hdt. 9.70)
When and why did Xerxes run away?
At Salamis since he feared being cut off from the Hellespont; consequently he left behind 300,000 men and mardonius to subjugate Greece (Hdt. 8)
What were the reasons for the Ionian revolt (499-494)?
rise of democracy, heavy tribute, loss of independence and commercial decline.
Ahem. Aristagoras…
Who actually helped the Athenians at Marathon?
“the Athenian troops… were joined by the Plataeans, who came to support them with every available man” (Hdt. 6)
What (briefly) happened at Mantinea in 418?
Sparta and Peloponnesians fight Argos, Elis, Athens and several others lead by alcibiades. Spartans have a decisive victory.
What did the peace of Nicias claim?
“Sparta and athens will be allies for 50 years” (Thuc. 5.23)
The allies apparently were bound to cooperate in this which they did not.
What was possibly behind the Persian-Athenian peace of 425?
A Persian embassy replying to a request for aid from Sparta was intercepted and shortly after a renewed Atheno-Persian peace was established (Thuc.)
What shows that the 30 year peace was supposed to last?
It was extremely comprehensive and featured a clause that stated allies should submit to arbitration before conflict - the issue was that nobody did this (Thuc.)
Unfortunately it was another example of treaties failing to work
Why did Athens need the 30 year treaty of 446?
They had lost their land empire (447), they were facing revolts from allies (Euboea and Megara invited Pleistoanax to invade attica) and the spartans were on the offensive, thus they had no choice but to sue for peace
What does Thuc. say about the 30 year treaty (446)?
it did nothing since it would be “an error of judgement to consider the interval of agreement as anything else except a period of war” - neither side gave back all it should and Mantinea happened at this time
What were the primary reasons for peace treaties?
Domestic issues. Peace of nicias came from Athens being shook up by battle of Delium and fearing allies revolting as well as spartan issues.
Ath the time, “spartan opinion was in fact in favour of peace” (thuc.) due to Spacteria, forts in Pylos and cythera, the threat of helot revolt, 30 year peace with argos was ending and the “two people on each side who were most opposed to peace” were dead
Why did the Athenians and Spartans make an armistice in 423?
Athenians: in order to secure what they had
Spartans: hope that athens grows used to peace and gives back hostages (Thuc. 4.108)
What did the 451 5 year peace allow Athens to do?
Make an expedition against the Persians by fighting in Cyprus, Egypt and a land and sea victory at Salamis-in-Cyprus, meaning this is an alternative end to the persian wars instead of the battle of Eurymedon
What was one of the earliest disappointments in Atheno-Spartan relations?
in 490, spartans fail to show up for Marathon since they “did not wish to break their law” by sending help before the moon was full (Hdt. 6.106)
Why does Eurybiades agree to fight at salamis?
Themistocles threatens to have the Athenians leave Siris in Italy to create a new city, they feared this as without Athenian support, their forces were insufficient.
“His chief motive was apprehension of losing Athenian support” (Hdt. 8.63)
What did the Spartans think about Athens gaining Naval hegemony?
They said they were fine with it but the debate in the Apella in diodorus 11.50 contrasts this as Hetiomaridas has to work quite hard to convince the Spartans not to vote to go to war with Athens in 477
Why in 479 were the Spartans slow to mobilise after Mardonius’ second offer to medise?
Hdt. suggests it was because the isthmus wall at corinth neared completion and the Spartan’s chief concern was protecting the Peloponnese.
This caused the Athenians to have to leave Athens
What Argues that Tensions weren’t building as quickly as we think during the Pentecontaetia?
in 464, Athens and sparta were still allies which lead to sparta asking for help to besiege Mt. Ithome, however.
Spartans ended up mistrusting athenians and sending them home which offended them and relations worsened (thuc.)
What did Themistocles do in 478 which showed distrust towards Sparta?
He kept spartan Envoys at athens until the long walls had been built high enough not to be torn down (Thuc. 1.41)
When was the battle of Tanagra and what happened?
457, the first battle fought between Athens and Sparta where Sparta took victory but shortly after Athens claimed control of boeotia (Thuc.)
What were some possible saving graces of Athens and sparta’s relationship?
- 5 year peace of 451
- Cleon and Brasidas die at amphipolis; will to fight drops significantly (thuc. 5.61)
- Nicias “Sparta and athens will be allies for 50 years” (Thuc. 5.23)
- Oligarchic coup in athens in 411 - oligarchs were Probs. pro Spartan
What does demosthenes do in 425?
Epiticismos - he set up a Fort in Pylos after the surrender at sphacteria
What foreign policy actions do the Athenians take after the earthquake?
Rescind the alliance made with sparta over the Persian wars and the Hellenic league (Thuc.)
how does the Peloponnesian war finally end?
it was “Concluded by the foresight and skill of one man” (Plut. lys. 11) in conjunction with athens gradually losing all of their resources
When do the Corinthians predict the war will be over?
in the second congress of the Peloponnesian league in 432 they say that once the athenians lose a sea battle, the war will be over for them.
Thuc. apparently uses the benefit of foresight as this is what happened at Aegospotami in 405 (arguably this is more of a land battle though)
How are Mardonius and Xerxes portrayed in Hdt. book 7?
He outlines a debate in the Persian court (which he was unlikely to have a source from despite greeks being present) about invading greece.
Xerxes is presented as impetuous, childish and arrogant with mardonius appearing as antagonistic and a bad influence.
This contrasts the inscription on the gate of all lands
Wh didn’t the Spartans send Brasidas any reinforcements i n 424?
“because what they really wanted was to recover the prisoners made on the island and to end the war” (Thuc.)
continuance of the Spartan anti war leadership (Archidamus, Pleistoanax, etc.)
How does Thucydides use the benefit of hindsight to show Archidamus as a wise leader?
he argues against going to war and Thuc. shows what he says to be exactly what is needed to win the War
What shows that Alcibiades as a loveable rogue?
Xen hell. says that Athens elects Alcibiades general despite still being in exile (407) and on his return, many people see him as a “slave of necessity” in working with sparta (contrasting Thuc. portrayal as an egomaniacal, self serving anti democrat)
What happens to Alcibiades at Notium?
Xen. hell.: in 407, he goes on a mission leaving Antiochus in charge of the fleet, with orders not to engage Lysander’s fleet a Ephesus. He disobeys and launches a raid from Notium that becomes a full battle at which Athens is defeated so alcibiades is blamed and stripped of commands.
Despite this he still comes back from his Thracian castle to warn the athenians at Aegospotami but they don’t listen and lose the whole war.
