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18. Sicilian
Expedition Overview
The Athenians first
send a fleet
to
Sicily in
427
- under the
command of
Charoeades
(killed in battle in 426) and
Laches
(replaced by
Pythodorus
in 426)
- in response to
an appeal from Leontini to aid them in their war with
Syracuse.
The Athenians send
reinforcements
in
425
- under the
command of
Eurymedon
and
Sophocles.
- Demosthenes
accompanies the fleet in order to establish a base at
Pylos;
- the battle of
Sphacteria results.
The fighting in
Sicily is largely indecisive, and in
424
- under the
influence of
Hermocrates
of Syracuse
- the Sicilians
decide to end the war in Sicily.
- The Athenians
sail home
 ;
- the Athenian
generals are punished--for their failure to capture
Sicily--with exile
(Pythodorus
and
Sophocles)
or a fine
(Eurymedon).
Following civil
strife in Leontini the city is depopulated by Syracuse, and
in
422
- Athens sends
Phaeax
as ambassador to arouse hostilities and form a coalition
against Syracuse;
- he returns
unsuccessful.
The Athenians vote
to attempt
the conquest of Sicily again in
winter
416.
- The immediately precipitating
event is an appeal from
Egesta
for aid in a conflict with
Selinus.
- The expedition
 sails
for Sicily in summer
415.
- In
414
the
Spartans
send a fleet to
Syracuse
 .
- The Athenian fleet is
decisively defeated in winter
413.
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