Thucydides' History - Book 1

The Archaeology

• Thucydides explains why he decided to write his history, saying “Indeed this was the greatest movement yet known in history, not only of the Hellenes, but of a large part of the barbarian world - I had almost said of mankind”.
• The Archaeology: The term commonly used for the opening chapters of Book I (2-23), in which Thucydides seeks to contrast the greatness of the Peloponnesian War with the pettiness of previous history.
• Thucydides offers an anthropological analysis of primitive life, noting that Attica’s poor soil led to overcrowding and the establishment of colonies.
• Long ago, men in Hellas did not call themselves Hellenes, as proved by Homer’s account of the Trojan war, where he calls them Danaans, Argives, and Achaeans. This shows that before the Trojan war, Hellas was not united.
• Minos is said to have been the first king to rule by sea power, ruling Minoa, a legendary seafaring culture on the island of Crete.
• Piracy was common and not entirely dishonorable in the time before Hellas was united.
• In the past, all of Hellas carried arms at all times, showing that there was lots of fighting between groups. This behavior is still seen in remote groups in Hellas. Athens was the first polis to adopt luxurious habits; Sparta originated modern styles.
• Because of piracy, cities were first built away from the sea.
• Thucydides cites evidence from graves that early islanders were Carian pirates. After Minos expelled the pirates, cities expanded, accumulated capital, and built walls to protect themselves.
• Thucydides describes how Agamemnon inherited his great power, which included naval power. Pelops, the father of Atreus (who is the father of Agamemnon), arrived at Peloponessus from Asia Minor with great wealth, and gained power there. When Eurystheus set out on his expedition to Attica, he put Atreus in charge of Mycenae. When Eurystheus was killed in Attica by the Heraclids, Atreus, with the support of the people, came to rule over Eurystheus’ former dominion.
• The size and magnificence of a city’s ruins do not necessarily indicate its power: witness Sparta and Athens. Homer’s description of the armada against Troy indicates its small size relative to current fleets.
• A lack of money forced the Greeks at Troy to disperse their force, reduce siege efforts, and forego a quick victory.
• Migration and turmoil occurred in Hellas after the Trojan war. When tranquility returned, Ionia, the islands, Italy, and Sicily were colonized.
• As the cities of Hellas grew in wealth and power, traditional monarchies gave way to tyrannies. Corinth developed triremes.
• Navies deploying many triremes developed just before the conflict with the Persians.
• Even the small navies of the past were instruments of real power.
• Persia conquers Ionia and the islands around 540 BC.
• Tyrants in Hellas itself, unlike those of Sicily, did not greatly extend their power.
• Sparta put down Hellenic tyrants and led Greek resistance to Persia. After the Persians’ defeat, Athens and Sparta quarreled.
• The policy of Sparta to her allies was to “secure their subservience to her interests by establishing oligarchies among them” instead of exacting tribute, while Athens took ships and money from her allies.
• Thucydides notes that people accept traditions that are clearly in error, for example, the tale about Harmodius and Aristogiton.
• Thucydides believes his conclusions to be reliable, and notes that this war was much greater than earlier ones.
• Thucydides discusses the speeches in his text, saying they were reconstructed from his memory, the memory of others, and his own idea of what the speakers might have said.
• “The absence of romance in my history will, I fear, detract somewhat from its interest; but if it be judged useful by those inquirers who desire an exact knowledge of the past as an aid to the interpretation of the future, which in the course of human things must resemble if it does not reflect it, I shall be content. In fine, I have written my work, not as an essay which is to win the applause of the moment, but as a possession for all time.” (1.23)
• Thucydides compares the Persian war and the Peloponnesian war, saying that the latter was much longer. He states that the official cause behind the Peloponnesian war was the breach of the treaty between Sparta and Athens, but the real cause was Spartan fear of the growth of Athenian power.

Prelude to the War

• Beset by civil strife, the commons of Epidamnus solicit aid from their mother city, Corcyra, but she refuses them.
• After consulting the oracle at Delphi, Epidamnus seeks and obtains promises of Corinthian help. Corinth had long resented Corcyra’s contempt for her.
• When Corinthian settlers arrived at Epidamnus, Corcyra decides to support the Epidamnian exiles and besieges Epidamnus.
• Corinth organizes a large force to colonize and rescue Epidamnus from Corcyra.
• Corcyra offers to submit the dispute to arbitration or to the god at Delphi.
• Corinth refuses Corcyra’s proposals, declares war, and sends a fleet. It is defeated. Epidamnus surrenders.
• The Corcyraeans now control the Ionian Gulf, but Corinth organizes a new fleet to challenge them again.
• Alarmed by Corinthian threats, Corcyra sends envoys to Athens to ask for help. Corinth also sends envoys to Athens to present her position.
• Speaking to the Athenian assembly, the Corcyraeans acknowledge that their past policy of avoiding allegiances has now left them dangerously isolated.
• The Corcyraeans argue that because they are the second greatest naval power in Greece, their offer of alliance is an extraordinary opportunity for Athens, particularly since Sparta will surely start a war against Athens soon.
• The Corcyraeans report that Corinth has attempted to dominate Corcyra and refuses Corcyra’s offer of arbitration.
• Claiming their alliance with Athens will not breach existing treaties, the Corcyraeans argue that Athens should prevent their naval powers from becoming subject to a potential enemy of Athens.
• Reminding the Athenians of Corcyra’s strategic location on the route to Italy and Sicily, the Corcyraeans conclude by warning that if Athens refuses alliance now, she may well be confront combined Corcyraeans and Peloponnesian fleets in a future war.
• The Corinthians accuse Corcyra of having pursued a policy of isolation do as to use their geographic position to abuse the many ships forced to put in to Corcyra.
• The Corinthians claim that Corcyra has always treated them with inappropriate disdain that now at Epidamnus has become open hostility.
• The Corinthians argue that Corcyra offered arbitration only after she began to fear Corinthian retaliation, and that her fear also motivates her request for an Athenian alliance.
• The Corinthians threaten enmity and retaliation if Athens should ally with Corcyra, and remind the Athenians of Corinth’s past support for them against rebellious Samos.
• The Corinthians demand gratitude for their help in Athens’ war with Aegina and the revolt of Samos.
• The Corinthians call upon the Athenians to return past favors and not incur Corinth’s enmity to secure a naval alliance.
• The Corinthians conclude by telling the Athenians that their best interests lie in rejecting Corcyra.
• The Athenians vote with a view toward a Peloponnesian war, noting Corcyra’s large fleet and her position on the route to Italy and Sicily.
• Athens enters a defensive alliance with Corcyra and sends ten triremes to assist her.
• A Corinthian fleet sails to Chimerium, near Corcyra.
• Corcyra deploys her fleet and army.
• The two fleets form up for the battle of Sybota.
• In a long, unskillful battle, each side’s left wing is victorious. The Athenian ships at first abstain from joining the battle, then intervene tentatively, then fight hard to prevent a Corcyraean rout.
• The victorious Corinthians massacre survivors, gather up the dead, and tow off hulks. Returning to battle, they sight approaching Athenian reinforcements and retire.
• Twenty additional Athenian triremes join the Corcyraeans at Leukimme.
• The Corinthians fear that the Athenians will try to prevent their departure.
• The Athenians tell the Corinthians that the treaty is still valid, that they may not attack Corcyra, but that they may otherwise sail where they wish.
• Both sides of the conflict erect trophies claiming victory.
• The Athenian role at the battle of Sybota was the first Corinthian complaint against Athens.
• Athens takes measures against Corinthian influence at Potidaea.
• As Perdiccas plots with the Spartans, Chalcidians, and Bottiaeans, Athens sends a fleet to Macedonia.
• When Potidaea fails to placate Athens and Sparta promises to invade Attica, Potidaea revolts. The Chalcidians move from their coastal cities to Olynthus.
• The Athenian fleet attacks Macedon.
• Corinth sends volunteers and mercenaries to Potidaea.
• The Athenians force Perdiccas to return to his alliance with them, and then march against Potidaea.
• An indecisive battle occurs near Potidaea. Most Potidaeans retire inside their walls.
• Potidaean troops break through the Athenian lines and enter their city. Olynthian forces retire. Losses are enumerated.
• Athenian reinforcements under Phormio complete the investment of Potidaea.
• The siege of Potidaea commences.
• Athens and Corinth complain much about Potidaea, yet there is still peace.
• Many cities denounce Athens to the allies assembled at Sparta. The Corinthians speak last.
• The Corinthians complain of Athenian aggression against them at Corcyra and Potidaea, and also of Spartan inaction, which both injures Sparta’s allies and strengthens Sparta’s rival.
• The Corinthians assert that Spartan inaction has permitted Athens to grow at the expense of the Hellenes and that Athens’ perception of Sparta’s acquiescence encourages her to commit further aggression. Once the Spartans could have stopped her easily, but now Athens has become such a formidable adversary that Hellenic confidence in Sparta is shaken.

Thucydides Athens Sparta Peloponnesian War Homer Minos Troy Trojan War Atreus Agamemnon Corinth Persia Ionia Sicily Corcyra