History of Ancient Greece Institute for the Study of Western Civilization Match 14, 2019, Week 20 Thucydides

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1 History of Ancient Greece Institute for the Study of Western Civilization Match 14, 2019, Week 20 Thucydides

2 Thucydides was an Athenian historian and general. His History of the Peloponnesian War recounts the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of "modern history" by those who accept his claims to have applied strict standards of impartiality and evidencegathering (documents) and analysis of cause and effect, without reference to intervention by the GODS, as outlined in his introduction to his work. Thucydides, 472-c ?

3 This is the plaster cast bust currently in exposition of Zurab Tsereteli's gallery in Moscow (part of Russian Academy of Arts), formerly from the collection of castings of Pushkin museum made in early s. Original bust is a Roman copy (c. 100 CE) of an early 4th Century BCE Greek original, and is located in Holkham Hall in Norfolk, UK. Thucydides, 472-c ?

4 Thucydides and his book, The History of the Peloponnesian War (410 BC) 10th Century manuscript in Greek preserved in Greece

5 1. Aristocrat. Thucydides identifies himself as an Athenian, his father's name was Olorus and that he was from the Athenian deme of Halimous. favors aristocrats (Pericles) 2. close friend of Pericles.(supports Pericles in the History) 3. in Athens for plague. survived. 4. rich. owned gold mines in Thrace. 5. present at Battle of Amphipolus 423 BC-General 6. loses command. lived through the whole of it, being of an age to comprehend events, and giving my attention to them in order to know the exact truth about them. It was also my fate to be an exile from my country for twenty years after my command at Amphipolis; and being present with both parties, and more especially with the Peloponnesians by reason of my exile, I had leisure to observe affairs somewhat particularly. 7. exile in Thrace. writes his book.

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7 1. Aristocrat. Thucydides identifies himself as an Athenian, his father's name was Olorus and that he was from the Athenian deme of Halimous. favors aristocrats (Pericles) 2. friend of Pericles. 3. in Athens for plague ,. survived. 4. rich. owned gold mines in Thrace. 5. present at Battle of Amphipolus 423 BC-General 6. loses command. lived through the whole of it, being of an age to comprehend events, and giving my attention to them in order to know the exact truth about them. It was also my fate to be an exile from my country for twenty years after my command at Amphipolis; and being present with both parties, and more especially with the Peloponnesians by reason of my exile, I had leisure to observe affairs somewhat particularly. 7. exile in Thrace. writes his book.

8 Homer BC Alcibiades BC

9 GREECE THE FIFTH CENTURY BC 528 Death of Athenian tyrant Peisistratus 525 BIRTH OF AESCHYLUS 514 Assassination of Hipparchus, brother of Athenian tyrant Hippias 510 Deposition of Athenian tyrant Hippias, son of Peisistratus 507 Cleisthenes reforms the Athenian constitution 490 First Persian invasion of Greece; 490 Battle of Marathon Aeschylus and his brothers fight at Marathon. 480 Second Persian invasion of Greece; battles of Thermopylae and Salamis 479 The Persians are defeated by the Greeks at the battle of Plataea. 464 Sparta devastated by earthquake; revolt of the Spartan helots 460 democratic reform of the Athenian Areopagus Hall, 458 Aeschylus s tragic trilogy the Oresteia first performed, at Athens 455 DEATH OF AESCHYLUS 451 Pericles proposes a law restricting access to Athenian citizenship 444 Foundation of Panhellenic colony at Thurii in south Italy 432 Completion of the new Parthenon 431 Outbreak of Peloponnesian War; 431 first performance of Euripides tragedy Medea 430 Pericles funeral oration 429 Plague begins at Athens 425 Athenians score success against the Spartans at the battle of Sphacteria 413 Athenian campaign in Sicily ends in disaster 411 Oligarchic coup at Athens xt

10 GREECE THE FIFTH CENTURY BC 525 BIRTH OF AESCHYLUS Thucydides 490 First Persian invasion of Greece; Battle of Marathon Marathon. 480 Second Persian invasion of Greece; battles of Thermopylae and Salamis 460 democratic reform of the Athenian Areopagus, 458 Aeschylus s tragic trilogy the Oresteia first performed, at Athens 451 Pericles proposes a law restricting access to Athenian citizenship 450 Constitutional Reform: Democracy, random juries, all citizens serve 432 Completion of the new Parthenon 431 Outbreak of Peloponnesian War; 431 first performance of Euripides tragedy Medea 430 Pericles funeral oration 429 Plague begins at Athens 425 Athenians score success against the Spartans at the battle of Sphacteria 413 Athenian campaign in Sicily ends in disaster 411 Oligarchic coup at Athens

11 THE GOLDEN AGE, BC The period which intervened between the birth of Pericles and the death of Aristotle, wrote Shelley, is undoubtedly, whether considered in itself or with reference to the effect which it has produced upon the subsequent destinies of civilized man, the most memorable in the history of the world.

12 THE AGE OF PERICLES, BC

13 507 BC

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15 CYRUS THE GREAT BC

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17 490 BC

18 SEPTEMBER 8, 480 BC THERMOPYLAE

19 The Battle of Salamis 480

20 To Live as You Please Salamis, September 28, 480 B.C. O sons of Greece, go forward! Free your native soil. Free your children, your wives, the images of your fathers gods, and the tombs of your ancestors! Now the fight is for all that. AESCHYLUS, The Persians (401 4)

21 History of Ancient Greece Institute for the Study of Western Civilization Week 14: January 28, 2019, PERICLES

22 Pericles ( ) Aristocrat who leads the democratic party (Peoples Party) like Thomas Jefferson, FDR father Xanthippus fought at Marathon mother Agariste, niece of Cleisthenes He absorbed the rapidly growing culture of his epoch, and united in his mind and policy all the threads of Athenian civilization economic, military, literary, artistic, and philosophical. Even the comic poets, who disliked him, spoke of him as the Olympian, who wielded the thunder and lightning of such eloquence as Athens had never heard before;

23 THE GOLDEN AGE, BC Thucydides said that the Athenians were the first Greeks to walk in the streets unarmed. A "civilian" society."

24 Pericles ( BC) and Aspasia ( BC)

25 Pericles ( BC) Thucydides ( BC) Thucydides younger can see the outcome Pericles ( BC) and Thucydides ( BC)

26 Pericles ( BC) Thucydides ( BC) Thucydides writes about the greatness of Pericles

27 "If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences...if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition. The freedom we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbor for doing what he likes..." These lines form the roots of the famous phrase "equal justice under law." The liberality of which Pericles spoke also extended to Athens' foreign policy: "We throw open our city to the world, and never by alien acts exclude foreigners from any opportunity of learning or observing, although the eyes of an enemy may occasionally profit by our liberality..." Yet Athens' values of equality and openness do not, according to Pericles, hinder Athens' greatness, indeed, they enhance it, "...advancement in public life falls to reputations for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit...our ordinary citizens, though occupied with the pursuits of industry, are still fair judges of public matters...at Athens we live exactly as we please, and yet are just as ready to encounter every legitimate danger." Speech by Thucydides as reported by Thucydides

28 Pericles ( BC) Thucydides ( BC) and Alcibiades ( BC)

29 Thucydides and his book, The History of the Peloponnesian War (410 BC) 10th Century manuscript in Greek preserved in Greece

30 Thucydides, Hist, IV st century, papyrus Oxyrhynchus 16

31 Thucydides and his book, The History of the Peloponnesian War (410 BC) 10th Century manuscript in Greek preserved in Greece

32 The State of Greece from the earliest Times to the Commencement of the Peloponnesian War "Thucydides, an Athenian, wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing that it would be a great war and more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it. This belief was not without its grounds. The preparations of both the combatants were in every department in the last state of perfection; and he could see the rest of the Hellenic race taking sides in the quarrel; those who delayed doing so at once having it in contemplation. 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. For though the events of remote antiquity, and even those that more immediately preceded the war, could not from lapse of time be clearly ascertained, yet the evidences which an inquiry carried as far back as was practicable leads me to trust, all point to the conclusion that there was nothing on a great scale, either in war or in other matters. "

33 Thucydides and his book, The History of the Peloponnesian War (410 BC) 10th Century manuscript in Greek preserved in Greece

34 Theme of the book, The Peloponnesian War, politics Greek Democracy: Pericles to Alcibiades

35 1. Pericles, Aristocratic leader right. Strategy right. 2. Pericles not responsible for war. 3. Pericles plan for handling war, right. 4. Democrats after, are wrong. Botch the strategy. They are responsible for the disaster. They are esp culpable (Alcibiades) for Sicilian disaster.

36 2nd Theme of the book, The Peloponnesian War, Man, the state, and the gods

37 Aeschylus, Sophocles, Thucydides What is the intellectual reality of 5thC Athens 450BC Time of rigorous rational critique of traditional religion Specific attack: on prophecy and its implication that gods know future. This attack is in pursuit of the human freedom that was at center of!!!! 5thC Athens Credo. (Pericles) Athens moving away from the old piety of Aeschylus toward scepticism of Thucydides and Euripedes Protagoras: "the individual man is the measure of all things, of the existence of what exists and the nonexistence of what does not..."

38 Sophocles and Thucydides Age of Sophocles Sophocles born 6 years before Marathon.

39 Athens, Sophocles, Antigone, 445 BC Sophoclean Tragedy "The central idea of a Sophoclean tragedy is that through suffering a man learns to be modest before the gods...when [the characters] are finally forced to see the truth, we know that the gods have prevailed and that men must accept their insignificance [their limited powers]." C. M. Bowra Text Sir Cecil Maurice Bowra, was an English classical scholar, literary critic and academic, known for his wit. He was Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, from 1938 to 1970, and served as Vice- Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1951 to 1954.

40 What is the nature of Sophoclean tragedy? that man so great, man so powerful, man so brilliant still fails. thus tragedy is his tragic contending against his own imperfect self. Not against gods and gods powers. thus Sophocles' TRAGEDY reflects perfectly the high ideals of Periclean Athens at mid-century Man contending with self and own limitations. Tragedy of life for Sophocles is that man is imperfect not that he is evil. (compare to Genesis) Is the Peloponnesian War man out of balance?

41 Aeschylus Euripedes

42 2nd Theme of the book, The Peloponnesian War, Man, the state, and the gods

43 Thucydides and his book, The History of the Peloponnesian War (410 BC) 10th Century manuscript in Greek preserved in Greece

44 What is so great about Thucydides? 1.first writer to state openly goal of writing 100% accurate account of affairs. 2. limits his enquiry (Pelo War) 3. explains his ability to study both sides of war due to his exile. (vs Herodotus, wandering travel story plus Persian War) 4. writes intro about methods, consult docs., witnesses. ("scientific") 5. says his study can be a useful tool for the future. (ie correct) 6. examines Homer suggests Homer wrong. critiques details.(small war) 7. writes his history with the gods left out. (vs Herodotus) thus in synch with the philosophers such as Protagoras ("man the measure") 8. sees his history based on events the way the doctors base in bio facts. close to Hippocratic school of medicine and descibed Plague with brilliant medical detail. ("scientific")

45 Thucydides and his book, The History of the Peloponnesian War (410 BC) Thucydides and 21st C Historian: "Revisionism" D. Kagan

46 Thucydides and his book, The History of the Peloponnesian War (410 BC) Was Thucydides' history accurate? Thucydides and 21st C Historian: "Revisionism" D. Kagan

47 Thucydides and his book, The History of the Peloponnesian War (410 BC) Was Thucydides' a great historian? Yes! Thucydides and 21st C Historian: "Revisionism" D. Kagan

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49 446 BC Athenian war in Boeotia a failure (Alcibiades' father killed 446 BC Sparta invades Attica, lays waste farms towns Alcibiades Alcibiades death of Alcibiades

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51 Causes of the Peloponnesian War, 432 BC THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE THAT HAD BEEN DEVELOPED AFTER THE PERSIAN WARS Other OPTIONS FOR ATHENS C. 450 BC A federation of allied free states with free trade. What did they choose: a tyrannical Aegean Empire enforced with power. It is probable that Pericles, dreamed of completing Athens control of Greek trade by dominating not only Megara but Corinth, which was to Greece what Istanbul is to the eastern Mediterranean today a door and a key to half a continent s trade. But the basic cause of the war was the growth of the Athenian Empire, and the development of Athenian control over the commercial and political life of the Aegean. Even after the war begins in 432 BC there are many opportunities for Athens to be merciful and generous to other Aegean states. Instead, Athens always chooses naked power.

52 Athens Excuse Athens allowed free trade in time of peace, but only by imperial sufferance; No vessel might sail that sea without her consent. Athenian agents decided the destination of every vessel that left the grain ports of the north; Methone, starving with drought, had to ask Athens leave to import a little corn. Athens defended this domination as a vital necessity; she was dependent upon imported food, and was determined to guard the routes by which that food came. This was ridiculous and lacking any imagination. The best guarantee was good relations with all the food producing states, and good prices. That was all they needed: a good deal for sellers. But Athens didn't want that and didn't offer it. They used force instead. RESULT: other states came to hate Athens.

53 Thucydides: the democratic leaders at Athens recognized that, while making liberty the idol of their policy among Athenians, the Confederacy of free cities had become an empire of force. You should remember, says Thucydides Cleon to the Assembly, that your empire is a despotism exercised over unwilling subjects who are always conspiring against you; they do not obey in return for any kindness which you do them to your own injury, but only in so far as you are their master; they have no love for you, but they are held down by force. The inherent contradiction between the worship of liberty and the despotism of empire co-operated with the individualism of the Greek states to end the Golden Age.

54 Anti Athens Resistance The resistance to Athenian policy came from nearly every state in Greece. Boeotia fought off at Coronea (447) the attempt of Athens to include it in the Empire. Some subject cities, and others that feared to become subject, appealed to Sparta to check the Athenian power.

55 War Begins The coming of war awaited some provocative incident. In 435 Corcyra (Corfu), a Corinthian colony, declared itself independent of Corinth; and presently she joined the Athenian Confederacy for protection. Corinth sent a fleet to reduce the island; Athens, appealed to by the victorious democrats of Corcyra, sent a fleet to help them. An indecisive battle took place, in which the navies of Corcyra and Athens fought against those of Megara and Corinth.

56 Pericle's Strategy Withdraw behind the walls Refuse battle wear out the enemy

57 Pericle's Strategy Withdraw behind the walls Refuse battle wear out the enemy Was he right? Thucydides refuses to criticize 21st C. critic can now see was mistake 1. ran out of resources 2. crowding=plague historian is unable to report situation accurately because he is too pro Pericles and too anti "mob" democracy

58 430 Disaster for Athens, PLAGUE

59 The crowding of Athens led to a plague probably malaria11 which raged for nearly three years, killing a fourth of the soldiers and a great number of the civilian population. It killed Pericles (429) his sister both his sons

60 Democracy turns on its own leader Cleon and others indicted him on the charge of misusing public funds; since he had apparently employed state money to bribe the Spartan kings to peace, he was unable to give a satisfactory accounting; he was convicted, deposed from office, and fined the enormous sum of fifty talents ($ 300,000). About the same time (429) his sister and his two legitimate sons died of the plague. The Athenians, finding no leader to replace him, recalled him to power (429); and, to show their esteem for him, and their sympathy in his bereavement, they overrode a law that he himself had passed, and bestowed citizenship upon the son that Aspasia had borne to him

61 Death of Pericles 429 BC

62 Death of Pericles 429 BC

63 With Pericles gone, leadership passes to lesser men Thucydides suggests: Athens might have come through to victory if it had pursued to the end the Fabian policy laid down by Pericles. (hunker down inside the walls fight on the sea) But his successors: too impatient to carry out a program that required self-control. The new masters of the democratic party were merchants like Cleon the dealer in leather, Eucrates the rope seller, Hyperbolus the lampmaker; and these men demanded an active war on land as well as sea.

64 Athenian Victory in 425 BC Batttle of Sphacteria Athenian Arrogance; More Extremes Wisdom of Pericles Gone

65 Cleon s ability was proved in 425 when the Athenian fleet besieged a Spartan army on the island of Sphacteria, near Pylos. No admiral seemed capable of taking the stronghold; but when the Assembly gave Cleon charge of the siege (half hoping that he would be killed in action), he surprised all by carrying through the attack with a skill and courage that forced the Lacedaemonians to an unprecedented surrender. Sparta, humbled, offered peace and alliance in return for the captured men, but Cleon s oratory persuaded the Assembly to reject the offer and continue the war. His hold on the populace was strengthened by a proposal, easily carried, that the Athenians should henceforth pay no taxes to the support of the war, but should finance it by raising the tribute exacted of the subject cities in the Empire (424). In these cities, as in Athens, the policy of Cleon was to get as much money out of the rich as he could find.

66 Battle of Amphipolis, 421, Athens loses, Thucydides out Thucydides becomes an hist. Death of Cleon, Peace of Nicias, 421 BC

67 Death of Cleon, Peace of Nicias, 421 BC

68 421 Peace of Nicias Three factors turned this peace into a brief truce of six years: 1. the diplomatic corruption of the peace into war by other means ; 2. the rise of Alcibiades as the leader of a faction that favored renewed hostilities; 3. and the attempt of Athens to conquer the Dorian colonies in Sicily. (415 Sicilian Expedition)

69 446 BC Athenian war in Boeotia a failure (Alcibiades' father killed 446 BC Sparta invades Attica, lays waste farms towns 416 Outrage at Melos Alcibiades Alcibiades death of Alcibiades

70 Alcibiades 450 BC to 406 BC The motion to punish Melos was supported by Alcibiades and his support for any motion usually sufficed to carry it, for he was now the most famous man in Athens, admired for his eloquence, his good looks, his versatile genius, even for his faults.

71 Greek Democracy: Pericles to Alcibiades

72 Sicilian Expedition 415

73 Sicilian Expedition 415

74 The Athenian Disaster at Sicily 415 BC

75 Sicilian Expedition 415

76 446 BC Athenian war in Boeotia a failure (Alcibiades' father killed 446 BC Sparta invades Attica, lays waste farms towns Alcibiades Alcibiades death of Alcibiades

77 The Death of Alcibiades 406 BC

78 In 406 BC, the Athenian General Alcibiades, exiled in the Persian Empire province of Hellespontine Phrygia (Northern Turkey), was assassinated by Persian soldiers, who may have been following the orders of Pharnabazus II, at the instigation of Sparta's Lysander.

79 Philip King of Macedon and son Alexander conquer Athens 338 BC

80 Why did Athenian democracy fail? BC conquered by larger state. 2. Class conflict (old families, Pericles, Alcibiades) 3. Slavery 4. Sexual politics (pederasty, jealousy) 5. Aristotle: lack of "Philia" 6. philosophers didnt believe in it. 7. War. aggression. empire. 8. Direct democracy doesn't work for large state. (or maybe for anybody)

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