Sphakteria and Sicily Kleon at Sphakteria (JACT Sections 1-12 = Thucydides 4.26-40 selected) I. First Athenian Expedition to Sicily (Thucydides 3.86, 3.88, 3.90, 3.99, 3.103, 3.115) The battle of Sphakteria resulted indirectly from Athenian involvement in Sicily: 427; Leontini and Syracuse are at war (see map) Leontines are Ionians Syracusans are Dorians allies of Leontines send to Athens for aid Athens responds with 20 ships under Laches and Charceades (who dies in battle in 426) 3.86.4-5: "The Athenians sent it [the fleet], upon the plea of their common descent, but in reality to prevent the exportation of Sicilian corn to Peloponnese and to test the possibility of bringing Sicily into subjection. Accordingly they established themselves at Rhegium in Italy, and from thence carried on the war in concert with their allies." Syracusans meanwhile are allied with Locrians in Italy 426/5 winter; Athenians send 40 more ships to Sicily: 3.115.3-6: "The allies in Sicily had sailed to Athens and induced the Athenians to send out more vessels to their assistance, pointing out that the Syracusans who already commanded their land were making efforts to get together a navy, to avoid being any longer excluded from the sea by a few vessels. The Athenians proceeded to man forty ships to send to them, thinking that the war in Sicily would thus be the sooner ended, and also wishing to exercise their navy. One of the generals, Pythodorus, was accordingly sent out with a few ships; Sophocles, son of Sostratides, and Eurymedon, son of Thucles, being destined to follow with the main body. Meanwhile Pythodorus had taken the command of Laches' ships, and towards the end of winter sailed against the Locrian fort, which Laches had formerly taken, and returned after being defeated in battle by the Locrians."   II. Detour on the way to Sicily 425; beginning of summer campaigns Athenian general Pythodorus sent to Sicily with a few ships to succeed Laches (3.115; see just above) 40 ships follow, commanded by Eurymedon and Sophocles son of Sostratides (4.2); Demosthenes goes along too, after having received permission to use fleet on Peloponnesian coast Demosthenes requires them to put in at Pylos on the way to Corcyra fleet trapped there by squall; Athenians are bored and built a fort Demosthenes and 5 ships stay there; the rest sail on to Corcyra and Sicily, and get as far as Zacynthus Spartans prepare to assault Athenian fort; Demosthenes sends for fleet from Zacynthus Spartan hoplites stationed on Sphacteria; plan to close n passage (two ships wide) and s passage (8-9 ships) with line of ships no harbor at Pylos Spartan admiral Thrasymelidas; Spartan captain Brasidas 50 Athenian ships arrive; put in at Prote attack Spartan fleet and win Spartan garrison on island of Sphakteria now isolated Spartans sue for peace and Athenians, under influence of Cleon son of Cleanetus (4.21), refuse (Note the terms of this offer for peace, which are relevant later to the treatment of the captured Athenians in the Syracusan stone quarries; they include an allottment of: two Attic choenikes of grain (= 8 kotylai, about 4 quarts), two kotylai of wine (= about 1 quart), and a piece of meat; slaves would get 4 kotylai of grain (= 2 quarts), one kotyle of wine (= 2 pints), and (?) half a piece of meat.) Athenians cruise round island with 70 ships; Spartans attack fort at Pylos here is where narrative begins (4.26.1) III. Demosthenes in Aetolia (background to Sphakteria strategy; Thucydides 3.94-98) 426 summer IV. Truce in Sicily (Thucydides 4.24-25, 4.58-65, 5.4-5) 425 summer inconclusive fighting in Sicily on land and sea between Athenians, Naxians, Rhegians, Sicels, Leontines and Syracusans, Locrians, Messanians (see map of Sicily; also below) 424 summer; truce between Camarina and Gela (see map of Sicily; also below) other Sicilian cities assemble at Gela Syracusan Hermocrates addresses assembly; persuades them to "save Sicily, the whole of which in my opinion is menaced by Athenian ambition" (4.60.1) Sicilians conclude truce; Athenian fleet returns to Athens 4.65.3-4: "Upon their arrival at Athens, the Athenians banished Pythodorus and Sophocles, and fined Eurymedon for having taken bribes to depart when they might have subdued Sicily. So thoroughly had the present prosperity persuaded the citizens that nothing could withstand them, and that they could achieve what was possible and impracticable alike, with means ample or inadequate it mattered not. The secret of this was their general extraordinary success, which made them confuse their strength with their hopes." 422 summer; Athenian Pheax sent as ambassador to Leontines; attempts unsuccessfully to arouse hostilities and form colation against Syracuse Mutilation of Hermai (JACT Sections 13-22 = Thucydides 6.15-61 selected) V. Second Athenian Expedition to Sicily (Thucydides 6.1-6, 6.8-26, ) 416/5 winter 6.1.1: "The same winter the Athenians resolved to sail again to Sicily, with a greater armament than that under Laches and Eurymedon, and, if possible, to conquer the island; most of them being ignorant of its size and of the number of its inhabitants, Hellenic and barbarian, and of the fact that they were undertaking a war not much inferior to that against the Peloponnesians." Thucydides reviews the history of the settlement of the island (6.1-5) and concludes (6.1.5): "Such is the list of the peoples, Hellenic and barbarian, inhabiting Sicily, and such the magnitude of the island which the Athenians were now bent upon invading; being ambitious in real truth of conquering the whole, although they had also the specious design of succouring their kindred and other allies in the island." envoys from Segesta come to Athens; appeal for aid in war over marriage and territory with Selinus Selinuntines allied with Syracusans Segestans warn that if Syracusans "get the whole power of the island into their hands, there would be a danger of their one day coming with a large force, as Dorians, to the aid of their Dorian brethren, and as colonists, to the aid of the Peloponnesians who had sent them out, and joining these in pulling down the Athenian empire" (6.6.2) In appealing for help, the Segestans do not claim common descent with the Athenians, as the Leontines had, and indeed, Nicias, in his speech opposing the expedition, refers to them as barbarians (6.11.7; cf. 6.2.3) Segestans promise to fund war Athenians vote to send envoys to check out bank account 415 summer; envoys return with false reports of adequate funds (cf. 6.46) assembly votes to send 60 ships under command of Alcibiades, Nicias, Lamachus second assembly to debate expedition; Nicias opposed; Alcibiades in favor; expedition voted through mutilation of Hermai (6.27-29; 6.53, 6.60-61)   Sicilian Expedition (JACT Sections 23-42 = Thucydides 6.30-32, 7.70-8.1 selected) 415 late summer; departure of fleet; allies assemble at Corcyra 134 triremes (60 triremes, 40 troopships); 2 Rhodian penteconters, 5100 hoplites (6.43)  Athenians establish base at Rhegium (as in 427 bce) Nicias wants to sail against Selinus (the original objective of the expedition), conclude matters there, and go home Alcibiades wants to first try to make alliances with various Sicilian cities, and then attack Syracuse and Selinus Lamachus wants to head straight for Syracuse and attack there Alcibiades' plan wins out: Athenians are refused at Messana, admitted at Naxos, first refused and then accepted by Catana After recall of Alcibiades, fleet sails along north shore of Sicily and spends the winter preparing to attack Syracuse   415/4 winter; Syracusans approach Catana by land; Athenians sail to Syracuse after an indecisive battle, Athenians return to Catana and then Naxos to prepare for Spring campaign at the end of the winter, Athenian winter quarters are moved to Naxos meanwhile, Syracusans wall in various parts of the city Alcibiades 6.88.7-6.93.2 and Decelea Under the influence of Alcibiades, the Spartans vote to send a fleet under Gylippus to aid the Syracusans; the Athenians send out reinforcements