February 27 th , 2012
 First half of the 4th century BCE a period of continuous
warfare.
 The Corinthian War (394-386 BCE).
 Thebes and Sparta (377-362 BCE).
 The Social War (357-355 BCE).
 The hegemony of Macedon.
 Sparta seeks hegemony until 371 BCE; seeking survival
after 371 BCE.
 Athens must: 1. Hold on to control of its naval
hegemony. 2. Maintain access to the Black Sea districts
and the Chalcidice peninsula. 3. Frustrate the growth
of Theban power and influence.
 Thebes desires: 1. To assert its freedom from Sparta
down to 378 BCE. 2. Est. hegemony afterwards. 3.
Thwart Athenian interests.
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~klio/maps/gr/Griechenland_371-362.jpg
 General – Greece in a state of economic and demographic
devastation; proliferation of mercenaries.
 Athens - starved into submission; Long walls demolished;
fleet dismantled; exiles repatriated; allegiance sworn to
Sparta; democracy expelled (rule of the Thirty Tyrants).
 Ionian Greeks – Under Persian control.
 Sparta – Imperial hegemon of Greece; harmosts (i.e.
Spartan governors) & garrisons imposed on defeated cities;
allied to the Persians.
 “In the year of the archon Alexias (405/4) the Athenians had the
misfortune of losing the sea-battle at Aigospotamoi, as a result of
which Lysandros became master of the polis and established the
Thirty in the following way. Once the peace had been concluded
on condition that the Athenians be governed by their ‘ancestral
politeia’, the democrats attempted to preserve the demos; the
upper classes who belonged to the political clubs, together with
those exiles who had returned after the peace had been made,
were eager for oligarchy; and those (from the upper classes) who
did not belong to any club but were otherwise considered to be
the best sort of politai were aiming for the ‘ancestral
politeia.’….However, once Lysandros had sided with the oligarchs,
the demos was inevitably intimidated into voting the oligarchy
into power on a psephismos drafted by Drakontides of the deme
Aphidna.” (?Aristotle, Athenian Constitution 34.2-35. Crawford
& Whitehead, Doc. 244A).
 Pro-Spartan oligarchy.
 Two leading figures = Theramenes and Critias.
 Attacked the leading democrats (i.e. Brought charges against them,
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confiscated properties, exiles, murder).
Reduced the no. of those eligible for public office to 500.
Full citizenship limited to 3,000 of the ‘best’ citizens.
Disarmed the people (i.e. all but the 3000).
Behavior caused a political backlash led by Thrasyboulos with Theban
assistance; democracy restored (403 BCE).
Oligarchs seek Spartan assistance; Spartan king, Pausanias, narrowly
defeats Tharsyboulos; agreement made and democracy restored;
Tyrants and their supporters pardoned.
 “Winter (404/3) had already begun when Thrasyboulos and
the (other Athenian) exiles [i.e. in Thebes] occupied Phyle.
The Thirty led out an army but were defeated, and decided
to disarm the citizen-body in general and to kill
Theramenes….Subsequently, however, the men from Phyle
occupied Mounychia and defeated in battle the Thirty and
their forces when they tried to save it; and when the danger
was over the men from the astu returned, assembled in the
agora on the following day and deposed the Thirty.”
(?Aristotle, Athenian Constitution 37-38. Crawford &
Whitehead, Doc. 244A).
 Not popular with anyone; Sparta imposes tribute on vanquished cities;
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many plundered; Ionian Greeks “sold-out” to Persia.
Sparta an inconstant ally to Persia; Pursuing a policy of self-interest.
402 BCE – Elis sacked and plundered.
402/1 BCE – Power struggle in Persia; Cyrus II hires 13,000 Greek
mercenaries.
401 BCE – Greek victory at b. of Cunaxa; Cyrus II killed; Xenophon and
the march of the 10,000.
Most of Greece and Persia alienated by Spartan behavior.
398 BCE – Sparta decides to “liberate” Ionian Greeks; Agesilaus sent on
plundering raids into Lydia; Athens, Thebes, Corinth refuse to
participate.
Persian satrap (Pharnabazus) offers money to Athens, Thebes, Corinth,
and Argos to attack Sparta.
The Corinthian War (395-387 BCE).
 “Lysandros also suppressed the democracies and the other politeiai, leaving in
each polis a Spartan harmost together with ten rulers chosen from the clubs
which he had organised throughout the poleis. This he did indiscriminately, in
hostile poleis and also in those which had become his allies; and he sailed
along in a leisurely manner, establishing for himself thus the hegemonia of
Greece. He did not, you see, appoint these rulers 0n the basis of birth or
wealth: it was to gratify these foreign supporters and friends that he allotted
control of affairs, giving them sovereign charge of rewards and punishments.
He also took part personally in many massacres, helping to drive out his
friends’ enemies. It was thus an intolerable example of Spartan rule that he
gave the Greeks: the comic poet Theopompus likened the Spartans to
barmaids, in that they allowed the Greeks a sip of the sweetest freedom and
then poured in the vinegar, but bitter and harsh, because Lysandros not only
denied the common people control of affairs but put the poleis in the hands of
the most bold and contentious of the oligarchs.” (Plut. Lysandros 13.3-5.
Crawford & Whitehead, Doc. 250 B).
 Tithraustes now appeared to believe that Agesilaos was contemptuous of the
king and his doings, and, so far from leaving Asia, had every hope of taking on
the King and capturing him; and he had no idea what to do about this. He
therefore sent Timokrates the Rhodian to Greece, with gold to the value of 50
talents and orders to give it to the leading men in the poleis, in return, if
possible, for firm guarantees that they would start a war with the Spartans.
Timokrates arrived in Greece and handed over the gold to Androkleidas,
Ismenias, and Galaxiodoros in Thebes, to Timolaos and Polyanthes in Corinth,
and to Kylon and his supporters in Argos. The Athenians did not take their
share of it, but they were eager for war nonetheless, in their belief that they
would recover their empire. And those who received the money naturally began
now to create ill-feeling against the Spartans in their own poleis; and once they
had established this anti-Spartan hatred brought the most important poleis
into coalition with each other.” (Xenophon, Hellenika III.5.1-2. Crawford &
Whitehead, Doc. 254A)
 394 BCE – Athenian admiral (Conon) and Persian satrap
(Pharnabazus) defeat Spartan fleet at b. of Cnidus; Lysander killed;
Athens rebuilds the “Long Walls.”
 (392 BCE – Est. of the Chalcidian League).
 391 BCE – Evagoras seizes control of Cyprus; sets himself up as king
with Athenian support; Persia besieges Cyprus and decides to switch
their support to Sparta.
 391-386 BCE – Sparta/Persia gain upper hand over Athens, Thebes,
Corinth, and Argos.
 386 BCE – The King’s Peace.
 “King Artaxerxes thinks it right for the poleis in Asia to
be his and of the islands Klazomenai and Cyprus, bur
for the other poleis small and large to be autonomous,
except for Lemnos and Imbros and Skyros, these to
belong to the Athenians as of old. Whoever does not
accept these peace terms, I will make war on him by
land and sea, providing ships and money, alongside
whoever is willing to accept them.” (Xenophon,
Hellenika V. 1.31. Crawford & Whitehead, Doc. 263).
 Persia acting as guarantor of peace in Greece; really playing off poleis against
each other; Persia as hegemon (?)
 Sparta the principal beneficiary; Sparta’s policy = to maintain hegemony by
preventing leagues and confederacies.
 386-5 BCE - Sparta forces Mantinea to pull down its walls; partitioned into five;
Sparta forces the dissolution of the Boeotian League (Thebes).
 382 BCE – Sparta marches north through Boeotia to break up the Chalcidian
League; Spartans occupy the Kadmeia (i.e. Acropolis of Thebes); installs a proSpartan government; Theban nobles tried by Spartans for medism; democratic
elements flee to Athens.
 381-379 BCE – Spartans (with Macedonian allies) continue campaigns against
the Chalcidian League (Olynthus); eventually break-up the confederacy and
give the coastal cities to Macedon.
 379/8 BCE – Spartan garrison ejected from Kadmeia with Athenian assistance
(volunteers); democracy restored; war with Sparta.
 378 BCE – The Second Athenian Confederacy (to 355 BCE).
The Major Players in the 4th Century Wars
 The Second Athenian Confederacy.
 Thebes and the Boeotian League; Thessaly; Arcadia.
 Sparta and the Peloponnesian League.
 Macedon.
The Disposition of Forces
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~klio/maps/gr/Griechenland_371-362.jpg
 League members comprised primarily of former
members of the Delian League.
 No compulsory tribute (phoros); voluntary
contributions (syntaxeis).
 Autonomy of member states; can assume any form of
government desired.
 Two decision making bodies of equal weight: 1. The
Athenian Ekklesia. 2. Assembly of allies (Synedrion).
 “The Athenians sent out their most distinguished men as envoys to the poleis
that were subject to the Spartans, urging them to cling on to their common
liberty. This was because the Spartans, relying on the great size of the forces at
their disposal, were ruling these subjects contemptuously and harshly, and so
many of them were beginning to turn to the Athenians. The first people to give
way and revolt were the men of Chios and Byzantion, followed by the Rhodians
and Mytilenians and some of the other islanders; and with the movement
growing ever stronger throughout Greece, many poleis attached themselves to
the Athenians. The (Athenian) demos, elated by the goodwill of the poleis,
established a common synod of all the allies and appointed representatives to it
from each polis; and it was agreed by common consent that, although the
synod should meet in Athens, every polis great and small should cast only one
vote, on an equal basis. It was also agreed that all poleis should be autonomous,
under Athenian hegemonia.” (Diodorus XV. 28.2-4. Crawford & Whitehead,
Doc. 269A)
 Cf. Crawford & Whitehead, Doc. 269 B for a list of confederacy members.
The Boeotian League
 Boeotia divided into 11 chorai each with a principal
astu.
 Each district supplied several judges and one military
commander (Boeotarch).
 HQ and nominal hegemon of the league = Thebes; the
Sacred Band.
 Democratic structure; all (propertied) citizens could
participate in the assembly in Thebes.
 Theban ejection of Spartan governors (378 BCE) and revival of Athenian
hegemony (377 BCE) provoked Sparta to war.
 378-371 BCE – General stalemate; a generally defensive war; repeated
(unsuccessful) Spartan invasions into Boeotia; Thebans drive out Spartan
garrisons and pro-Spartan elements from Boeotian cities; Athenians pursue
naval operations against Spartan interests.
 376 BCE – Athenians (Chabrias) defeats the Spartan fleet at b. of Naxos (49 of
60 ships destroyed); 17 new cities added to the Athenian Confederacy;
additional members gained in Western Greece (i.e. Corcyra and Acarnania).
 374-373 BCE – Athens suffering despite successes; short of funds; refused by
Thebes; failed attempt at peace with Sparta; Sparta (unsuccessfully) besieges
Corcyra; Athenian help requested but is late in coming (Athens running out of
money).
 373-372 BCE – Spartans summon help from Syracuse (60 ships sent); Athenians
(Iphicrates) ambush the Syracusan fleet while beached; come away with 60
talents; Earthquakes in Sparta.
 371 BCE – Athens and Sparta exhausted; In the mood for peace.
 371 BCE – Peace of Callias between Athens and Sparta (Thebes refused to sign).
The Reasons for and the Provisions of the
Peace of Callias
 Sparta: 1. Humiliated over failures in Boeotia. 2. Loss of large part of the fleet at
b. of Naxos. 3. Humiliation in Corcyra. 4. Demographic problems. 5. The
earthquake.
 Athens: 1. Forced to rely increasingly on mercenaries. 2. Running out of money.
3. Increasingly unhappy with Thebes as an ally (i.e. Jealousy; Plataea).
 Provisions of the peace: 1. Similar to the King’s Peace. 2. Autonomy for all Greek
cities. 3. No city could be forced into any confederacy. 4. Effectively the
dismantling of hegemony and “leagues”.
 The basis of Theban refusal to sign: Boeotian League different from
Peloponnesian and Athenian Leagues; Boeotia a cultural and political unity
(i.e. Attica or Laconia); Sparta demanded the dismantling of the Boeotian
League; Thebes (Epaminondas) demanded the dismantling of Laconia; Thebes
excluded.
Theban Action in the Peloponnese
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Sparta (King Cleombrotus), in Phocis (Boeotia) during peace negotiations marched against Thebes;
Sparta demanding the dissolution of the Boeotian League.
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371 BCE – B. of Leuctra (Theban under Epaminondas army routes Spartan troops); death of
Cleombrotus; Thebes receives reinforcements from Thessaly; Sparta forced to evacuate Boeotia;
Harmosts ejected; Democracies established.
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370 BCE – Spartan allies begin to fall away (i.e. Tegea); Towns of Arcadia (central Peloponnese) unite
against Sparta (Mantinea rebuilt; Megalopolis est. as capital of the new Arcadian League); Tegea joins
the Arcadian League; Sparta (Agesilaus) marches on Arcadia; Arcadians seek help in Athens
(rebuffed); Help sought from Thebes (granted).
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370-369 BCE – Epaminondas leads Theban troops into Peloponnese; Ravages Laconia; liberates
Messenian Helots; est. Messenian capital at Ithome; Sparta in dire straits (ca. 1500 full citizens; loss of
helot labor etc.) and appeals to Athens (granted); Athenian troops (Iphicrates) sent to Arcadia; Sparta
sent 2000 Celtic mercenaries from Syracuse; Epaminondas forced to withdraw.
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368-367 BCE – Laconian towns beginning to defect to Arcadian League; Persia and Syracuse fail to
broker peace (conditions favor Thebes; alienate everyone else including Arcadia).
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366-365 BCE – Thebes’ third invasion of the Peloponnese; Corinth detached from Peloponnesian
League (but neutral); Arcadia breaks with Thebes/allies with Athens!!!
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365-362 BCE – War between Elis and the Arcadian League; Arcadia beginning to weaken (becoming
friendly toward to Sparta); Thebes eager to prevent peace.
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362 BCE – Thebes invades the Peloponnese again; B. of Mantinea; Spartans defeated by numerically
superior alliance led by Epaminondas and the Thebans; Epaminondas dies; Spartan power broken
forever.
Theban Action in Northern Greece
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The Major Players = 1. Thebes. 2. Thessaly. 3. Athens. 4. Macedon.
Thessaly united into a major power by Jason of Pherae; held together solely by the will of
Jason.
370 BCE – Jason assassinated; Brother (Alexander) attempts to maintain control; Cities of
Thessaly revolt; Alexander seeks help from Athens (granted); Other cities ask for help
from Macedon (granted).
369 BCE – Macedonians seize Larissa and Crannon; Thessalians therefore turn to
Thebes; Pelopidas sent into Thessaly; Thessalian towns formed into a Theban
protectorate; Dynastic conflict in Macedon results in the murder of the king (Alexander)
and stasis; Athens intervenes (sets Perdiccas on the throne with Ptolemy as regent).
368 BCE – Pelopidas marches north to detach Macedon from Athens; Thebes promises to
support Perdiccas in exchange for an alliance with Thebes; Macedon sends “hostages” to
Thebes as sign of goodwill (Philip II); Pelopidas captured by Alexander of Pherae
(Thessaly) on his return home.
367 BCE – Thebes (Epaminondas) marches into Thessaly and frees Pelopidas.
366-365 BCE – Athens (with the help of Ariobrazanes, satrap of Phrygia), denied access
to Macedon and Chalcidice, seizes Sestos (critical for securing Black Sea grain and
resources); Perdiccas assassinates Ptolemy and abandons Thebes for Athens.
364 BCE – Athens (Timotheus) with Macedonian help begins forcing Chalcidian towns
into the Athenian Confederacy; Thebes constructs a fleet and sends out Epaminondas to
detach Athens’ allies (moderately successful); Pelopidas marches into Thessaly against
Alexander of Pherae; Thebes victorious at the b. of Cynoscephalae (Pelopidas killed).
363 BCE – Theban army returns to Thessaly and defeats Pherae; Thebes now hegemon in
Thessaly.
 After 362 BCE members of Athenian confederacy saw
no need for the alliance.
 Athens refused to give up the alliance.
 Chios, Byzantium, Cos, and Rhodes overthrow their
democracies.
 The Social War (357-355 BCE).
 “While these things were going on, the inhabitants of Euboia fell into
stasis among themselves, and when one side summoned the Boiotians
to its assistance and the other the Athenians, war broke out in Euboia.
Several battles and skirmishes took place, in which sometimes the
Thebans were superior and sometimes the Athenians carried off the
victory. No important pitched battle occurred, yet, even when the
island had been devastated by internecine warfare and many men had
been killed on both sides, the two sides barely came to an agreement as
a result of this lesson taught by the disasters and made peace with each
other. Now the Boiotians returned home and remained quiet, but the
Athenians suffered the revolt of Chios, Rhodes, Kos and, moreover,
Byzantion, and became involved in the war called the War with the
Allies which lasted three years.” (Diodorus XVI. 7.2-4. Crawford &
Whitehead, Doc. 339).
 Athenian fleet commanded by Chares and Chabrias.
 357 BCE – Chabrias sent against Chios; Chares attacked
Byzantium.
 356 BCE – Allies ravage Imbros and Lemnos; Macedon
takes advantage of Athenian preoccupation and seizes
Amphipolis.
 355 BCE – Chares’ mercenary troops revolt over arrears in
pay; Athens seeks funds from Persia but is rejected;
threatened into abandoning operations against their allies.
 Theban hegemony (377-362 BCE) similar to Athenian and Spartan
hegemony; a function of Athenian weakness rather than Theban
strength.
 Greece divided as ever.
 Persia as strong as ever.
 Macedon the rising power.
 Economic exhaustion.
 Demographic problems (esp. in Sparta).
 Militarism an attractive way of life.
 Formation of federations of poleis prefigures Hellenistic developments.