Greek Period Study - Topic 3 Peace and Conflict

Thucydides 1.115-117

**Revolt of Samos**

Samos and Miletus in conflict (both Athenian allies) --> Miletus requests Athenian support and Athens replaced Samos' oligarchy with a democracy.

Samos turns to Persian satrap of Lydia, Pissuthnes, and ejects the Athenian garrison.

Lead to a naval encounter and 2 sieges - lasting 9 months before they surrendered

Thucydides 1:40

Corinthians state that they apparently put brakes on Spartan militancy in supporting Samos in her revolt.

6 years into the peace did Sparta have thoughts of breaking it? Surely if the Peloponnesian league was bicameral they would have already voted for intervention by this point???



*Thucydides' speech...1.22 states that he does not recount his information word for word but tries to get the feeling of what was being said across...*

*How does Thucydides know about the secret workings between Sparta and her allies. Playing into his thesis?*

Thucydides 1:23

‘What made war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta’

Thucydides 1:55

After Athenian interference in Corcyra dispute Thucydides states that this was Corinth's first cause for war against Athens as she fought against her with Corcyra although the peace treaty was still in force

Thucydides 1:56

Thucydides trying to blame Corinthian aggression on the war. States that ‘Corinth was looking for means of retaliation against Athens’

*How does Thucydides know what Corinth was secretly looking to achieve in her foreign policy?*

Thucydides 1:103

Athenians taking Megera into the Athenian alliance, abandoning her alliance with Sparta because the Corinthians were attacking her in a war concerning the frontier boundaries.

'It was chiefly because of this that the Corinthians conceived such a bitter hatred for Athens

Thucydides 1:58

Spartan authorities apparently promised to invade Attica if the Athenians invaded Potidaea

*No other mention of this event in Thucydides' account - has he fabricated this information in order to further his truest cause thesis?*

Thucydides 1.139

'the chief point and one that they made most clear was that war could be avoided if Athens would revoke the Megarian decree'

They also drop the requirements of Potidaea

*Clearly, this is a factor which has been under-stressed by Thucydides*

Thucydides 1.140

Suggesting of revoking it vigorously opposed by Pericles. Potentially stresses that, because he was the most significant figure in preventing the revoking of the decree, the war should be laid on him

*Supported by Plutarch Pericles 31*

Plutarch Pericles 30

People trying to convince him to revoke the decree, but he refuses.

Plutarch states that 'he must have secretly had a private grudge against the Megarians'

*Uses Aristophanes' play "Acharnians" as a named source to stress Megarian irritation at Athenian hatred towards them from Aspania and Pericles*

Plutarch 31

'everyone blames Pericles for the fact that it was not overturned’

Aristophanes Acharnians

Pericles' responsibility for the Megarian decree, and thus for the war, is mentioned by Aristophanes, here.

Jokes that the Peloponnesian War began after some Athenians and Megarians stole prostitutes from each other's cities

Interesting he links Pericles to the Megarian decree so firmly. Given he is a satirist, his jokes could not have much force if not based in some truth...



*Given that it is satire we have to take this evidence with a pinch of salt.*

Plutarch Pericles 23.1-2

States that Pericles sent ten talents annually to Sparta to prolong peace

*Contradicts information about trying to bring about war through the Megarian decree. Also…hugely insignificant sum of money to be sending Spartans is it not???*

Thucydides 7:18

States that the Spartans thought that the fault had been more on their side, because the Thebans had entered Plataea in peace time and partly because they had not accepted the Athenian offer of arbitration



*First of all this is just Spartan religiosity reflecting on the past. Retrospective*

*Secondly it is Thucydides, an Athenian laying the blame for the war on the Spartans...clear Thucydidean agenda coming through*

Thucydides 1.85

Arbitration Clause - states that the Athenians were prepared to submit to arbitration, but who do you submit to? It is flawed therefore.

*Potentially Thucydides using his speeches in order to present Athens as peace loving people*

Thucydides 1.121-122

Corinthian Reasons why the peace should end and plan for the war:

• Victims of aggression

• Superior manpower and military experience

• Advocate for the building up of a naval force from the funds in Olympia and Delphi.

• Advocates for undercutting Athenian navy by offering rowers more

• Foster revolts among Athenian allies

• Building fortifications among their country

Thucydides 1:66

Grievances for the outbreak of war

• Corinth that the Athenians were besieging her colony Potidaea

• Athens had grievances against the Peloponnesians for supporting a revolt of a city which as in her alliance and joining the Potidaeans in fighting against her

Apparently this was all considered private initiative of Corinth and therefore war had not yet broken out.

Thucydides 1:67

Corinth sends delegates to Sparta as Potidaea under siege. Sparta characterised as fearful in not sending a delegation to Athens. Athens also aggrieved by lack of ‘independence’?

Only one sentence dedicated to it, but he states that **'Megera, after mentioning a number of grievances, pointed out that, contrary to the terms of the treaty, they were excluded from all ports in the Athenian empire and from the market of Athens itself'**

*Clearly, here, we see Thucydides under stressing this this as a factor for peace. Why does he only mention this with a sentence or two, while Potidaea and Corcyra are given 40 chapters?*

Thucydides 1:68-69

Corinthian speech at debate of Sparta:

Corinthians hurl abuse at Spartans for being characteristically *slow to act, as Thucydides presents them.* Sparta supposedly neglecting her allies evidence. Athens preparing for the eventuality of war.

Thucydides 1:75-77

Athenian response at the debate of Sparta:

States that their empire did not come about by force, but through the aftermath of the Peloponnesian war where Sparta was unwilling to fight further against the Persians.

Fear of Persia was the chief motive in expanding the empire…

Apparently fear of Sparta itself meant that Athens, in her own interest, HAD to hold onto her empire.

Thucydides 1:86-88

Sthenelaidas’ speech:

Essentially says that Sparta has a duty to her allies, and Athens has not denied her aggressive policy. Takes up the quick, fast action characterisation which is usually followed by ephors within most texts (probably because they only hold office for a year)

Spartans vote that the treaty had been broken.

Thucydides 1:44

After hearing the Corinthian speech, Athens at first seemed to side with them, but the next morning formed a defensive alliance had been formed between Athens and Corcyra.

Thucydides 1:35

Speech of Corcyra at Athens

**Highlights that any neutral state not listed could ally itself with either side.**

**Also stresses that if an ally revolted and joined the other alliance, the treaty was broken**

States that it is not a breach of the treaty if they accept them into the alliance given they are neutrals. Implores to Athens that they want the second best naval force on their side.

Thucydides 5:14

Argos was specifically excluded from the treaty, but was permitted to be at peace with Athens. It was already at peace with Sparta because of the thirty year truce established in 451-450 BCE