PelopWar2

The Peloponnesian War: Second and Third Phases

The Athenians lost the Peloponnesian War, historians believe, because they failed to follow the advice of Pericles, effectively this means that they followed the advice of a series of demagogues. Here we consider

what the advice of Pericles was,
what the actions were of the Athenians that violated those principles
the nature of demagogic leadership.

One of the characteristic elements of Athenian history in this period is the rise of the demagogue (aka charismatic leadership). Max Weber defines charismatic leadership (in contrast to the traditional or legal) as an extraordinary, unstable, transient form of rule, tending to arise in crisis conditions and is directed not a the solution of everyday problems of government, but rather at some supra dimensional crisis. The charismatic leader is 'heroic' (endowed with almost supernatural powers) and his rule is sustained by great deeds. This last phrase is critical, for the power of the demagogic / charismatic leaders could only be sustained by ever greater triumphs, ever greater risks.

Some personalities:

Pericles (ACG209)

leadership ...when he presided over the polis, his moderate polices kept it safe.. what resulted was nominally a democracy, but in fact the rule of the first man .
policies: the Athenians (Pericles argued) would win if they were patient, looked after their navy, without trying to extend the empire while the war was in progress, and avoided anything that would put the polis at risk.

Moral Vocabulary ACH 143: Chasm between the kaloi k'agathoi and the penetes kai poneroi [the beautiful and good vs the poor and worthless]

The demagogues:

Alkibiades, Kleon, the man who did most to corrupt the demos, Kleophon [diobelia: 'poor relief'], and others; they were opposed by the old and established aristocrats, esp Nikias). E.g., ACG 212: and 213.
On the charisma of Alkibiades, ACG 215 and esp 216. ...there was a continuous succession of demagogues whose main aim was to act outrageously and to please the majority, with no thought for the future, Aristotle. Most notoriously, the demagogues like Alkibiades urged the conquest of Syracuse (a massive undertaking clearly against the advice of Pericles) which became a major disaster ACG 225-6),
or in 410 and again in 406 when various demagogue argued against concluding peace that would have ended the war (ACG 238) on favorable terms for the Athenians.

Each demagogue succeeded only insofar as he was able to achieve a notable success; his credibility was destroyed with any set back ...were later condemned to death: for even if the masses have been deceived, for they tend to hate the men who induced them to do something improper, ACH 216 ). Hence the succession of demagogues. Again, the policies of the demagogues stressed expansion and risk, contrary to Pericles' advice.

The Intermediate period in Greece
1. Argos and Sparta
2. Melos: coerced to join the Athenian alliance (417). The famous dialogue (ACG 206), the siege and the end.
Athens in the West
1. Preliminaries:
  1. Tensions between Ionians and Dorians; between oligarchs and democrats ==> appeals for outside intervention.
  2. In 425, an Athenian fleet had been sent to the West but delayed by the events at Pylos.
  3. Meanwhile, too, the gifted tyrant Hermocrates had come to power in Syracuse, the largest city in the West, and provided some stability.
2. Expedition to Sicily (416) Campaigns
  1. Origin in dispute between Segesta and Selinus
  2. Athens: against the recommendation of oligarchic party led by Nikias, but Alkibiades urges the demos to attack Sicily.
  3. On eve of departure, the destruction of the Hermae.
  4. In Sicily, Nikias had squandered (though inaction) his initial advantages.
3. The siege 414-3
  1. In the spring of 414 the Athenians seize the Epipolae and build fort. The Athenians then begin a circumvallation from Great Harbor to the Circular Fort, but northern part not pushed aggressively, as Nikias failed to see significance. Athenians control harbor.
  2. The Spartan Gylippus arrives
  3. Athenians hold Plemmyrium, but a night raid destroys their reserves of grain and munitions. Nikias asks for help and Demosthenes sent with another fleet.
  4. Early spring 413: Syracusans defeat Athenians in narrow harbor and bottle up the fleet.
  5. Demosthenes arrives, fails to re-gain the heights and urges withdrawal. Eclipse...
  6. Losses: hoplites: 5100 + 5000; ships: 97 + 73; light armed and sailors: 45,000. Life in the quarries and release of some...
The Third Phase of the War: the role of Alkibiades at Athens, Sicily, Sparta, Ionia, Athens, and further east..
1. The situation: A wonder Athens did not collapse, for Dekeleia was also hurting (20,000 slaves flee there). Ten probouloi appointed/seize opportunity to direct the state (that is the constitution is suspended) and a new 5% tax imposed on all goods passing in and out of ports in the empire. But: Allies ready to revolt, convinced they had a chance. More ominously, Persia now active in encouraging revolt and Sparta willing to deal with Persians.
2. The general revolt of allies in 412.
3. Sparta and Persia
  1. To get Persian aid, a Spartan general had agreed to return to Persia all cities that were ever her tributaries.
  2. Persia does formally agree to some subsidy of the Spartan fleet.
4. The oligarchic revolution and democratic reaction
  1. Alk., hoping to ensure his own recall and to remove the radical democracy, works with the hetaeriae (secret organizations of oligarchs). In 411 with internal disorder growing (assassinations common) oligarchs seize power. Re-organize the state:
    1. pay for offices abolished
    2. franchise restricted to the wealthiest 5000
    3. Provisional government of 400 (n.b. the 5000 met at the discretion of the 400!).
  2. The fleet at Samos (with all the democrats) unites under the leadership of Thrasyllus and Thrasybulos. Declare themselves to be the genuine polis. Encouraged by their example, the moderate oligarchs at Athens revolt and establish moderate democracy under guidance of Theramenes. Significance?
5. Naval engagements
  1. Spartan admirals had recognized the strategic vulnerability of Athens in Hellespont, but had been inactive and allowed Athenians to regain upper hand; latter win engagements at Abydos and Cynossema, reopening thereby the access to the Black Sea.
  2. Sparta sues for peace on the basis of the status quo (410), but offer rejected by Cleophon, the lyre maker and demagogue / radical democratic leader until his death in 404.
  3. The democratic fleet returns to Athens and restores the radical democracy. Athenians again in control of Aegean through 408.
  4. With the arrival of Cyrus in Anatolia and the emergence of the Spartan, Lysander, the character of the war changes. They work together to defeat Athens.
  5. Alk. recalled in 407 and takes command of fleet, but allows Antiochos to lose at Notium ...goes into exile.
  6. Arginusae: A new fleet of 110 ships prepared in 30 days and with 30 more ships, defeats Spartans at Arginusae. Sailors could not be picked up; generals held responsible, tried and convicted en masse by the 500 (illegal).
  7. Once more Sparta sues for peace, but once again Cleophon rejects. Athenians again defeated when Lysander catches them on the beach at the end of the day, Aegospotami(405).
  8. Lysander sends all the Athenians back to Athens and besieges the city for nine months. Surrender in 404.
  9. The terms...Thebans and Corinthians urge death of all men, just what Athens had done at Melos; Sparta rejects, noting Athenian contributions to Hellenic cause. But: long walls torn down, end of league/empire, no independent foreign policy.