Aspects of Greek History (750–323BC) Read online

  ASPECTS OF GREEK HISTORY 750–323 BC

  Aspects of Greek History 750–323 BC: A Source-Based Approach offers an indispensable introduction to the central period of Greek History for all students of classics, from pre-university to undergraduate level. Chapter by chapter, the relevant historical periods from the age of colonization to Alexander the Great are reconstructed. Emphasis is laid on the interpretation of the available sources, and the book sets out to give a clear treatment of all the major problems within a chronological framework.

  This new edition brings the book up to date with the latest scholarship and includes a more detailed study of Sparta, Delian League and the Athe-nian Empire, expands the range of sources examined, and offers an extended discussion of the growth of Athenian Imperialism towards Samos, Mytilene and Melos.

  It includes:

  • A critical discussion of the lives, works, usefulness and reliability of the main literary sources: Thucydides, Herodotus, Xenophon, Plutarch, Diodorus and Aristotle

  • Numerous quotations and references from these and other sources, including inscriptional and archaeological evidence, accompanied by a critical analysis of their worth

  • Maps, a glossary of Greek terms, and a full chapter-based bibliography.

  Aspects of Greek History is an invaluable aid to note-taking, essay preparation and examination revision.

  Terry Buckley has retired from full-time teaching, having held the post of Head of Classics at Camden School for Girls and Roedean. He was also for many years a member of the J.A.C.T Ancient History Committee.

  ASPECTS OF CLASSICAL CIVILISATION

  ASPECTS OF GREEK HISTORY 750–323BC

  A Source-Based Approach

  Second Edition

  Terry Buckley

  ASPECTS OF ROMAN HISTORY 81BC–AD14

  A Source-Based Approach

  Mark Everson Davies and Hilary Swain

  ASPECTS OF ROMAN HISTORY AD 14–117

  Richard Alston

  CLASSICAL LITERATURE: AN INTRODUCTION

  Edited by Neil Croally and Roy Hyde

  ASPECTS OF GREEK HISTORY 750–323BC

  A Source-Based Approach

  Second Edition

  Terry Buckley

  LONDON AND NEW YORK

  First edition published 1996 by Routledge

  Reprinted 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005

  This second edition published 2010 by Routledge

  2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

  Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge

  270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016

  Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

  This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2010.

  To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.

  © 1996, 2010 Terry Buckley

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or

  reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,

  or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including

  photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval

  system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

  British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

  A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

  Buckley, Terry, 1946-

  Aspects of Greek history 750-323 BC : a source-based approach / Terry

  Buckley. – 2nd ed.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  1. Greece–History–To 146 B.C. 2. Greece–History–To 146 B.C.–

  Historiography. I. Title.

  DF214.B78 2010

  938–dc22

  2009030559

  ISBN 0-203-86021-7 Master e-book ISBN

  ISBN10: 0-415-54976-0 (hbk)

  ISBN10: 0-415-54977-9 (pbk)

  ISBN10: 0–203-86021–7 (ebk)

  ISBN13: 978-0-415-54976-9 (hbk)

  ISBN13: 978-0-415-54977-6 (pbk)

  ISBN13: 978-0-203-86021-2 (ebk)

  TO MY BELOVED FAMILY

  SUE, ERIKA AND SEAN

  CONTENTS

  List of maps xiii

  Preface and acknowledgements xiv

  Preface to the second edition xvi

  List of abbreviations xvii

  1 THE MAIN LITERARY SOURCES 1

  Aristotle 1

  Diodorus Siculus 5

  Herodotus 8

  Plutarch 14

  Thucydides 18

  Xenophon 24

  2 THE CAUSES OF COLONIZATION IN ARCHAIC GREECE 30

  Shortage of land 31

  The importance of trade 35

  Bibliography 39

  3 THE AGE OF GREEK TYRANNY, C.650–510 40

  The background and sources 40

  Pheidon of Argos: the military cause 42

  Cypselus of Corinth: the economic cause 47

  Cleisthenes of Sicyon: the ethnic cause 52

  Conclusion 54

  Bibliography 54

  4 THE ‘LYCURGAN’ REFORMS AND THE RISE OF SPARTA IN THE SEVENTH AND SIXTH CENTURIES 55

  The sources 55

  The background 61

  The political reforms 65

  The social and economic reforms 72

  The rise of Sparta in the sixth century 77

  Bibliography 82

  5 THE REFORMS OF SOLON 83

  The sources 83

  The economic and political crisis in Athens 84

  The reforms of Solon 90

  Appraisal of Solon’s reforms 96

  Bibliography 100

  6 THE TYRANNY OF THE PEISISTRATIDS AT ATHENS 101

  The rise of Peisistratus 101

  The rule of the Peisistratids 104

  The buildings and religious festivals of the Peisistratids 109

  The fall of the tyranny 114

  Bibliography 116

  7 THE REFORMS OF CLEISTHENES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY 117

  The sources 117

  The political background to the reforms, 511/0–507/6 117

  The motives of Cleisthenes 119

  The deme and tribal reforms of Cleisthenes 122

  The development of democracy 128

  Bibliography 131

  8 ATHENIAN POLITICS FROM CLEISTHENES TO THE OUTBREAK OF THE PERSIAN WAR 132

  The sources 132

  Ostracism and its use in the 480s 132

  Athenian politics, 508/7–490 136

  Athenian politics, 489–481 142

  Bibliography 146

  9 THE PERSIAN WAR: GREEK STRATEGY AND THE LEADERSHIP OF SPARTA IN 480–479 147

  The sources 147

  Preparations for war, 484–481 149

  Greek strategy and Spartan leadership in 480 151

  Greek strategy and Spartan leadership in 479 163

  Bibliography 170

  10 THE DELIAN LEAGUE AND ATHENIAN EMPIRE 171

  The establishment of the Delian League 171

  From ‘League’ to ‘Empire’, 478/7–446/5 177

  Aftermath: Samos, Mytilene and Melos 195

  Bibliography 209

  11 ATHENIAN POLITICS, 478–462/1 211

  The sources 211

  Foreign policy, 470s 212

  Domestic policy, 478–462/1 215

  The fall of Themistocles 217

  Athenian foreign policy, 460s 218

  Bibliography 220

  12 SP
ARTAN FOREIGN POLICY AND PROBLEMS IN THE PELOPONNESE, 478–446/5 222

  The evolution of the Peloponnesian League 222

  Constitution of the Peloponnesian League 223

  Sparta, 478–462/1 226

  Sparta, 462/1–446/5 234

  Bibliography 236

  13 THE DEMOCRATIC REFORMS OF EPHIALTES AND PERICLES, 462/1–451/0 237

  Political background to the reforms 237

  The reform of the Areopagus 239

  The Athenian political institutions after Ephialtes’ reforms 242

  Bibliography 245

  14 THE INSTITUTIONS OF ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY 247

  The sources 247

  The Boule 247

  The Ecclesia 251

  The Heliaea 258

  Bibliography 265

  15 ATHENIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE FIRST PELOPONNESIAN WAR, 462/1–446/5 266

  The sources 266

  Bibliography 275

  16 THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE: MEANS OF CONTROL, BENEFITS AND POPULARITY 276

  The means of control 276

  Athenian benefits from the Empire 283

  Allied benefits and the popularity of the Athenian Empire 287

  Bibliography 298

  17 THE CAUSES OF THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR 299

  The background, 446/5–435 300

  The grounds of complaint (‘aitiai’) 302

  The prelude to the war 313

  Athens and Sparta: the ultimate responsibility 316

  Bibliography 320

  18 PERICLES AND THE NATURE OF ATHENIAN POLITICS 321

  Pericles’ early career to 444/3 322

  Pericles’ career, 444/3–429 326

  The demagogues 332

  Bibliography 336

  19 ATHENIAN AND SPARTAN STRATEGY IN THE ARCHIDAMIAN WAR, 431–421 337

  Athenian strategy 337

  Spartan strategy 339

  431–428 341

  427–424 343

  424/3–421 348

  Bibliography 352

  20 SPARTA, THE PELOPONNESE AND THE OUTBREAK OF THE DECELEAN WAR, 421–413 354

  The Peace of Nicias and its immediate aftermath 355

  The challenge to Sparta’s hegemony of the Peloponnese 357

  Outbreak of the Decelean War 362

  Bibliography 365

  21 ATHENS AND THE WEST, 458–413 366

  458/7–428 366

  427–424 367

  416–413 369

  The causes of the Athenian defeat 381

  Bibliography 383

  22 PERSIAN INTERVENTION IN THE IONIAN WAR, 413–404 384

  Persia and the Greeks, 431–414 385

  Persia and the Greeks, 413–404 387

  Bibliography 397

  23 THE RISE AND FALL OF THE OLIGARCHIC MOVEMENT IN ATHENS, 411–410 399

  The rise of oligarchy 399

  The rule of The Four Hundred 406

  The rule of The Five Thousand 411

  Bibliography 413

  24 SPARTAN FOREIGN POLICY, 404–387/6 414

  Asia Minor, 404–394 415

  Greece, 404–395 420

  The Corinthian War, 395–387/6 424

  Bibliography 429

  25 THE ‘HEGEMONY’ OF THEBES, 371–362 430

  The rise of Thebes, 386–371 430

  Theban foreign policy, 371–365 436

  Theban foreign policy, 364–362 443

  The causes of the failure of the Theban ‘hegemony’ 446

  Bibliography 450

  26 THE RISE OF MACEDON (359–336): DIPLOMACY AND WARFARE UNDER PHILIP II 451

  The consolidation of Macedon in the North, 359–354 451

  The rise of Macedon in Greece, 353–346 455

  The further rise of Macedon in Greece, 346–338 461

  The Macedonian hegemony of Greece, 338–336 467

  Bibliography 471

  27 ALEXANDER’S GENERALSHIP AT THE BATTLES OF THE RIVER GRANICUS (334), ISSUS (333) AND GAUGAMELA (331) 472

  The sources 472

  Alexander’s army 473

  The battle of the River Granicus (334) 477

  The battle of Issus (333) 482

  The battle of Gaugamela (331) 488

  Bibliography 495

  Glossary 497

  Bibliography 502

  Websites 508

  Index 509

  MAPS

  1

  Greek colonization, eighth–sixth centuries BC 37

  2

  The Peloponnese 81

  3

  Cleisthenes’ tribal reforms 125

  4

  Persian wars 168

  5

  The Athenian Empire 206

  6

  The Peloponnesian War, 431–404 BC 350

  7

  The Long Walls of Athens 352

  8a

  Sicily 374

  8b

  The siege of Syracuse 375

  9

  The Peloponnese and central Greece 448

  10

  Growth of Macedonian power, 359–336 BC 468

  11

  The battle of the River Granicus 479

  12

  The battle of Issus 486

  13

  The battle of Gaugamela 490

  PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  As a teacher of J.A.C.T. Ancient History, Section A topics (i.e. military and political) for the past twenty years, I have been acutely aware of the need for a textbook which, first, not only covers a historical period or theme in sufficient depth, but also is structured in such a way so as to help students to take notes, write essays and revise for the most commonly set ‘A’ level topics; second, includes a large amount of source evidence either in direct quotations or specific source references; finally, encourages students to become aware of the limitations of the literary evidence – both in particular historical instances and generally in the main literary authors – and thereby develop their critical faculties for historical analysis. At present there are three kinds of reading material for ‘A’ level students: the standard Ancient History textbooks which cover social, economic and cultural themes, and therefore do not treat political and military topics in sufficient depth nor supply sufficient primary source material for critical study as required by modern ‘A’ level Ancient History syllabuses; the specialist articles and books which assume a high degree of in-depth knowledge and, very often, a fluency in Greek and Latin; and source books which, although quoting in English many of the more inaccessible primary sources, provide insufficient explanation for the average ‘A’ level student to have a full and coherent understanding of their relevance to a particular topic. Therefore it has been the main aim of this textbook to fill this perceived gap in order to meet the examination needs of current ‘A’ level Ancient History students.

  I am also very aware of the continually increasing curricular and pastoral demands that are being made upon teachers and that, more than ever, the time for preparation of lessons is being drastically squeezed. Therefore, in addition to a general bibliography at the end of the book, I have stated at the end of each chapter the specific articles and the relevant chapters of the books that I found the most useful and informative – hopefully, this will save valuable time for hard-pressed teachers. Furthermore, this will be an aid to the more able ‘A’ level students who wish to research a given topic more widely. Finally, it is also hoped that this book will be of use to ‘A’ level Greek students, when reading a Greek historian as a set-book, and to the increasing number of ‘A’ level Classical Civilization students who need to place writers such as Aristophanes in their historical context.

  Finally, my sincerest thanks are owed to a number of people and institutions: first and foremost, to Dr Paul Cartledge of Clare College, Cambridge, whose constructive criticism, constant encouragement and friendly support throughout the last two and a half years have earned my eternal gratitude; to Andrew Wallace-Haddrill, who recommended me to Routledge when this book was first proposed; to Richard Stoneman a
nd his staff at Routledge for their unfailing kindness and courtesy; to J.A.C.T. for their kind permission to use quotations from Lactor 1 The Athenian Empire;to my former ‘A’ level students at Camden School for Girls and at Roedean whose unstinting enthusiasm for Ancient History made teaching such a joy and helped me to shape my approach to this book; and finally, to my longsuffering family who have tolerated the full spectrum of my moods, ranging from exhilaration to despair, according to how well each chapter was progressing or not. Writing is a lonely pursuit, and so I look forward to a welcome return to the companionship, the shared endeavours, the banter and fun of the staffroom and the classroom.