When the people reluctantly moved from the countryside to Athens they used areas of the city previously uninhabited to avoid overcrowding. Temples and sanctuaries were temporary homes. The oracle at Delphi had once declared the area behind the acropolis called the Pelargikon cursed, but the newcomers camped in the area regardless of such dire warnings. Livestock was pushed out to Euboia. Inside the city walls of Athens was considered to be appropriate. Pericles was in charge. Various sea battles in gulf of Krisa. Phormio Athenian admiral.
During the battle for Pylos there was a food shortage. The Lacedaimonians used divers who swam under water in the harbour with a cord attached pulling a waterproof skin wrapped with honey nuts and linseed. They evaded lookouts for a whole but started to be spotted. The island was a wooded mess and the Athenian general Demosthenes had designs on torching the Spartan held island as he had always considered it a disgraceful place. After a truce and several people going back on their word such ad the Athenians denying the Lacedaimonians the release of their ships - Kleon took over command of the Athenian offensive from Nikias.
Brasidas took Amphipolis and Akte. Bloody battle at Delion and athenians defeated.
Archias of the Herakleidai in Corinth founded Syracuse. Nikias not convinced about sailing to Sicily. Many problems back in Greece but Alcibiades wants to go and make money and conquer. Xenophanes.
Sicilian expedition sails under a reluctant Nikias and a more favourable yet possibly detested Alcibiades. Costs. Silver gold etc. Trireme preparation in both looks and speed. Customization. Laches. Syracusans mostly disbelieve the rumours and remain complacent despite the words of Athenagoras and others. Ionian sea. Taras would be friendly to the Syracusans. Egestians being the only Athenian allies. Most of the sikeliots would unite against Athens. Sikels prefer their freedom. Eurymedon.
Alkamenes general. Arhyokos. Chios was a central issue. Sparta allied with Persian Tissaphernes who paid well. Treaty. Syracusans under Gylippus sailed into the Aegeian arena. Athens lower classes revolted against uppers. Same on other Athenian held islands. Beached ships. Big sea battle off Miletos. Miletians. More hoplites supplied from Athens. Naval superiority. Lacedaimonians had zeal and aggression. Chalkideus was killed. Klearchos involved.
Sicilian expedition ended in catastrophe. Nikias fled to a far river but Syracusans pursued and there was a bloody battle where the wearisome Athenians hungry tired and thirsty were fighting and trying to drink the muddy bloodied death strewn waters. Slaughter. Horrendous. One of the bloodiest moments in Hellenic history. Nikias was executed despite his virtuous leadership. A brave man who gave everything was defeated and he knew the expedition was risky right from the start. Demosthenes executed.
Lesbos involved. Hermokrates mentioned again. Thucydides doesn't cover the last seven years of the war. Pedacritos. Korykos a harbour. Argives fought with Spartans at Miletos. Stop the walls being built around the city! Lade island. Alcibiades still at large on good terms with Tissaphernes. One drachma pay per hoplite and sailor. Persian intervention was obviously a bone of contention; the Athenians and Spartans had fought together against the Persians so this was going back on a pledge. Knidos involved. Athens never regained its standing after the war ever again. It changed the history of Greece forever. But they still won the Euros! Spartans decided not to raze Athens despite people calling for them to do so.
When the people reluctantly moved from the countryside to Athens they used areas of the city previously uninhabited to avoid overcrowding. Temples and sanctuaries were temporary homes. The oracle at Delphi had once declared the area behind the acropolis called the Pelargikon cursed, but the newcomers camped in the area regardless of such dire warnings. Livestock was pushed out to Euboia. Inside the city walls of Athens was considered to be appropriate. Pericles was in charge. Various sea battles in gulf of Krisa. Phormio Athenian admiral. Spartans constantly attacking Attica. Boiotians were Spartan allies. Antiphon.
During the battle for Pylos ( Spakteria island) there was a food shortage. The Lacedaimonians used divers who swam under water in the harbour with a cord attached pulling a waterproof skin wrapped with honey nuts and linseed. They evaded lookouts for a whole but started to be spotted. The island was a wooded mess and the Athenian general Demosthenes had designs on torching the Spartan held island as he had always considered it a disgraceful place. After a truce and several people going back on their word such ad the Athenians denying the Lacedaimonians the release of their ships - Kleon took over command of the Athenian offensive from Nikias.
Brasidas took Amphipolis and Akte. Kleon was killed. Bloody battle at Delion, the only land battle! and athenians defeated. Brasidas killed.
Archias of the Herakleidai in Corinth founded Syracuse. Nikias not convinced about sailing to Sicily. Many problems back in Greece but Alcibiades wants to go and make money and conquer. Xenophanes.
Athenian fleet at Naupaktos
Sicilian expedition sails under a reluctant Nikias and a more enthusiastic yet possibly detested Alcibiades as he may have been involved in the so called Athenian mysteries. And Lamarchus. Costs. Silver gold etc. Trireme and pentekonter preparation in both looks and speed. Customization. Laches. Syracusans mostly disbelieve the rumours and remain complacent despite the words of Athenagoras and others. Ionian sea. Taras would be friendly to the Syracusans. Egestians being the only Athenian allies. Most of the sikeliots would unite against Athens. Sikels prefer their freedom. Digression of Thucydides on Hippas and Hipparchus. The stabbing of a tyrant.
So was Alcibiades the Athenian general working undercover for the Spartans? Thucydides says he defected to Sparta and on his return from Sicily after his exile ( he was supposedly being tried at Athens for Eleusian mysteries ) was welcomed into Lacedaimon despite his being a bit of a pain at the battle of Mantinea that the Spartans won.
Athens and Syracuse failed to gain the alliance of Kamarina who remained neutral despite the threats from both sides that their city would be razed after the war. Euphemos the Athenian said the Syracusan plea was slanderous. The Syracusans said that Athens would turn sicily into a slave state and was using Segesta as a pretext. Naxos became a port for Syracuse. No battles took place during winters. The distance of Sicily across the Ionian sea was always going to be an obstacle ( rather like the later day American War of Independence and the Atlantic being a hurdle for Britain ).
Lots of wall building strategies on the plain of Syracuse ( too rocky for trenches) ; Epipolae. Stakes in the harbour causing problems for Athenian ships, divers sorted them out. Plemmyrium taken by Athens and retaken by Sparta. Strategic point.
Thucydides bias towards Athens as he was an Athenian general. He saw the Spartans as barbarians. Mind you Xenophon was pro Sparta and he was of the same opinion about them. Thucydides seen as a bit of a modernist.
The Boiotians at Syracuse routed the Athenians. Several battles in the harbour. Kind of a draw. Ramming was used. Small boats full of javelin-throwers took out Athenian rowers. Syracusans withdrew for dinner and unexpectedly returned thus confusing the resting athenians. Their ships needed drying and repairing but nowhere to do it. Demosthenes made for Epipolae and the cross - wall.
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