Famous Battles of Ancient Greece Full Cinematic Documentary
Summary
TLDRThe script recounts pivotal battles of the Greco-Persian Wars, including the Athenians' underdog victory at Marathon and the heroic last stand at Thermopylae. It also covers the Peloponnesian War's key events, such as the Athenians' strategic win at Pylos and the decisive Battle of Amphipolis, which led to a temporary peace between Athens and Sparta.
Takeaways
- 🏺 In 490 BCE, the Battle of Marathon took place where 11,000 Greek hoplites led by Athenian general Miltiades defeated a much larger Persian force, marking a pivotal victory in the Greco-Persian Wars.
- 🌊 The Persians sought to invade Greece due to its rich resources, particularly silver mines, and had a significant foothold in Asia Minor after defeating Lydia in 545 BCE.
- 🔥 The city of Melidis' revolt against Persian rule in 494 BCE, supported by Athens and Eretria, led to Persian King Darius sending his forces to demand submission from Greek cities.
- ⚔️ Athens and Sparta's defiance of Persian demands by killing the messengers in 491 BCE provoked Darius to invade, leading to the Battle of Marathon.
- 🗓️ The Persians' initial victories at Naxos and Eretria boosted their confidence, setting the stage for the invasion of Athens.
- 🏹 The Athenians, caught off guard by the Persian attacks, sought help from other Greek city-states, with Sparta agreeing to aid but unable to send reinforcements in time due to religious observances.
- 🏰 The advice of the exiled Athenian tyrant Hippias led the Persians to land at Marathon, where they could effectively use their cavalry.
- 🏃♂️ The legend of a Greek soldier running from Marathon to Athens to announce the victory gave rise to the modern marathon race.
- 🏹 The Greeks' strategic positioning and Miltiades' decision to strike first led to a surprising victory against the Persians at Marathon, with heavy Persian losses.
- 🏛️ The victory at Marathon was considered miraculous by the Greeks, who believed legendary heroes like Theseus and Heracles fought alongside them, elevating the battle's status in Greek history.
- 🌊 After the Battle of Marathon, Persian King Darius planned a larger invasion, which eventually led to the Battle of Thermopylae where Leonidas and his 300 Spartans made a heroic last stand.
Q & A
What was the outcome of the Battle of Marathon?
-The Athenians, led by General Miltiades, won the Battle of Marathon against the Persian forces despite being outnumbered. This victory was a major turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars.
Why did the Persians want to invade Greece?
-The Persians wanted to invade Greece in part due to its rich silver mines and to consolidate their power over the region.
What event led to the Persian King Darius sending messengers to Greek cities demanding submission?
-The revolt of the city of Miletus against Persian rule, aided by Athens and Eretria, and the burning down of an important Persian temple led to King Darius demanding submission from Greek cities.
Why were the Spartans unable to send reinforcements to help Athens during the Battle of Marathon?
-The Spartans were unable to send reinforcements in time due to the religious feast of Apollo Carneos, which forbade them from leaving their city until the next full moon.
How did the Greeks manage to win the Battle of Marathon despite being outnumbered?
-The Greeks managed to win by employing a creative defensive strategy and launching a surprise first strike against the Persians, who were unprepared for such an aggressive move.
What was the significance of the Battle of Marathon in the development of democracy in Athens?
-The victory at Marathon marked the beginning of a new era for Athens and was perceived as a blow against tyranny, which helped consolidate the institution of democracy for the next two centuries.
What was the role of the legendary heroes in the Battle of Marathon according to Greek accounts?
-According to Greek accounts, the appearance of legendary heroes like Theseus and Heracles, who were believed to have returned from the dead to fight alongside the Greeks, contributed to the miraculous victory at Marathon.
How did the Battle of Thermopylae impact the morale of the Persian army?
-Despite their victory at Thermopylae, the Persian army's morale was shaken as they had lost thousands of men while Greek casualties were significantly lower. This made the Persians more anxious and aware that the Greeks were not afraid to die defending their land.
What was the strategic importance of the location chosen for the Battle of Thermopylae?
-The location of Thermopylae featured a narrow pass that could act as a bottleneck for the Persian army, negating their numerical superiority and offering naval advantages for the Greek fleets.
How did the Spartans' last stand at Thermopylae affect the course of the Persian invasion?
-The Spartans' last stand at Thermopylae bought time for the rest of the Greek army to successfully retreat and regroup, which ultimately led to their decisive victory over the Persians in the Battle of Plataea.
What was the impact of the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon on their prestige in Greece?
-The Athenian victory at Marathon greatly enhanced their prestige, ranking them first in the ongoing competition between the Greek city-states and immortalizing their success by erecting monuments in their own city and in Delphi.
Outlines
🏃 Battle of Marathon
In 490 BCE, the Battle of Marathon was a pivotal moment in the Greco-Persian Wars. Despite being outnumbered five to one, the Athenians led by General Miltiades managed to repel the Persian forces. The victory was significant, leading to the establishment of the marathon running event. The Persians, seeking to invade Greece for its silver mines, had previously subdued Greek populations in Asia Minor after defeating Lydia. The Athenians, surprised by the Persian attacks, sought help from other Greek city-states, notably Sparta, though they arrived too late due to religious observances. The small city of Plataia did send reinforcements. The Persians, advised by a Greek exile, landed at Marathon to deploy cavalry. The Athenians, using a creative strategy, charged at the Persians without archers or cavalry, leading to a Greek victory. The battle was considered miraculous, with some claiming legendary heroes like Theseus fought alongside them.
🗽 Aftermath of Marathon and Prelude to Thermopylae
After their defeat at Marathon, the Persians attempted to invade Athens via the Bay of Phaleron but were thwarted by Athenian defenses. Darius planned a massive retaliation, and after his death, his son Xerxes continued these efforts. The Greeks, recognizing the threat, prepared for the Persian advance. The Battle of Thermopylae was a strategic move to counter the Persians, with Leonidas and his 300 Spartans famously making a stand. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Greeks held their ground until a local informed the Persians of a flanking route. The Greeks were then surrounded and forced to fight to the last man, with Leonidas falling in battle. The Spartans' sacrifice allowed the Greek army to regroup and撤退, dealing a moral blow to the Persians.
🏰 Founding of Amphipolis and the Spartan-Athenian Struggle
Amphipolis, a city in Thrace, was initially part of the region's rich and contested land. Athens established control over it in 436 BCE, but during the Peloponnesian War, the Spartan general Brasidas sought to capture it to undermine Athenian power. He managed to take the city peacefully by promising safety to its inhabitants. The Athenians, caught off guard, sent the general Thucydides to retake the city, but Brasidas had already rallied support from nearby cities. Despite Brasidas's success, Sparta did not send reinforcements, leading to a truce with Athens. The situation divided Athens, with some politicians favoring peace and others, like Cleon, advocating for war. Cleon's election as a strategist signaled a continuation of the conflict.
🛡 Battle of Amphipolis
Cleon, upon being elected, set out to retake Amphipolis, capturing towns along the way. He requested troops from Macedonia and hired Thracian mercenaries. However, his forces hesitated to attack, which Brasidas exploited by launching a surprise attack. The Athenians were unprepared and suffered heavy losses, with Cleon among the dead. Brasidas also died, and his death was honored within Amphipolis. The battle led to a temporary ceasefire between Athens and Sparta, with both sides eventually agreeing to the Peace of Nicias, which sought to restore pre-war conditions.
🌊 Demosthenes' Strategy and Spartan Defeat at Pylos
In 425 BCE, Athenian general Demosthenes, after a storm, realized the strategic importance of Pylos. Despite initial skepticism from his fleet, he established a presence there. The Spartans, caught off guard during a religious festival, were forced to respond to the Athenian threat. Demosthenes employed unconventional tactics, fighting on the shore with his hoplites. The Spartans were unable to dislodge them, and after a two-day battle, Athenian reinforcements arrived, capturing Spartan ships and cutting off Spartan access to the island of Sphacteria. The 420 trapped Spartans became hostages, forcing Sparta to negotiate a truce and later seek peace, as they were vulnerable to Athenian naval power.
🏹 Spartan Surrender and the Shift in Peloponnesian War
The Spartan surrender at Sphacteria was a significant event, as it was unprecedented for Sparta to capitulate. The Athenians used the captured Spartans as leverage, threatening to execute them if Sparta attacked. This gave Athens freedom to conduct raids, including the capture of the island of Cythera. Sparta's attempts at peace were unsuccessful, and Cleon, bolstered by his victory, gained popularity and power in Athens. The Spartan ambassadors' failed negotiations highlighted their discomfort with public speaking and the strategic weakness of their position.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Persian Wars
💡Hoplites
💡Miltiades
💡Greco-Persian Wars
💡Darius
💡Sparta
💡Peloponnesian War
💡Amphipolis
💡Brassidas
💡Cleon
💡Battle of Plataea
Highlights
In 490 BCE, the Battle of Marathon took place where 600 Persian triremes landed north of Athens.
Eleven thousand Greek hoplites led by Athenian general Miltiades successfully repelled the Persian forces.
The Greeks were outnumbered approximately five to one but still managed to win.
The Battle of Marathon marked a major turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars.
The modern marathon running event is named after a soldier who ran to announce the victory of the battle.
The Persians wanted to invade Greece due to its rich silver mines.
In 545 BCE, the Persians came closer to their goal after defeating the Lydians.
The city of Melidis revolted against Persian rule in 494 BCE with aid from Athens and Eretria.
Persian King Darius demanded submission from Greek cities in 491 BCE.
Athens and Sparta killed Persian messengers, provoking Darius to invade.
The Persians captured Naxos and enslaved its inhabitants, then took the city of Eretria.
The Greeks were surprised by the ferocity of the Persian attacks and sought aid from other cities.
The Spartans agreed to aid Athens but were delayed due to religious feasts.
Athens received additional help from the small city of Platia, sending one thousand hoplites.
The Persian fleet planned to land at Phaleron but was advised to land at Marathon instead.
Athenian general Miltiades advocated for a first strike against the Persians.
The Greeks charged at the Persians without archers or cavalry, surprising them.
The Persians suffered heavy losses with approximately 6,400 casualties, while the Greeks lost only 192.
The victory at Marathon was considered miraculous, with Greeks attributing it to the appearance of legendary heroes.
After the battle, the Persians attempted to invade Athens via the Bay of Phaleron but were thwarted.
The victory at Marathon marked the beginning of a new era for Athens and a blow against tyranny.
Darius's son Xerxes continued to seek vengeance against the Greeks.
The Greeks decided to mount a defense at Thermopylae due to its narrow pass.
Leonidas and his 300 Spartans held off the Persians at Thermopylae.
The Battle of Thermopylae shook the morale of the Persian army despite their victory.
The Greeks eventually won the war against the Persians in the Battle of Plataea in 479 BCE.
The land of Amphipolis was originally part of Thrace, rich in gold and silver mines.
Athens established a solid foothold in Thrace with the founding of Amphipolis in 436 BCE.
The Spartan general Brasidas captured Amphipolis without striking a blow in 424 BCE.
The battle of Amphipolis led to a temporary end of hostilities between Athens and Sparta.
The Peace of Nicias was agreed upon, returning to the status quo before the Peloponnesian War.
Demosthe nes changed the course of the Peloponnesian War by establishing a military presence in Pylos.
The Athenians captured the Spartans on the island of Sphacteria, forcing Sparta to negotiate a truce.
Cleon's victory over the Spartans on Sphacteria led to a shift in the balance of power during the Peloponnesian War.
Transcripts
in 490 bce
600 persian triremes landed on a beach
35 kilometers north of athens
standing in their way were eleven
thousand hoplites led by the prestigious
athenian general
miltieities the persian forces outnumber
the greeks approximately five to one
and yet the smaller force managed to
push back their would-be conquerors
the battle of marathon was a major
turning point in the greco-persian wars
and the athenians victory would be
celebrated for many years
the modern day distance running event is
named a marathon
in memory of a soldier from the battle
who ran back to athens to announce their
victory
though whether this is real or legend is
uncertain
the persians wanted to invade greece in
part due to its rich silver mines
in 545 bce they came closer to this goal
after their victory over crisis
the king of lydia the victory forced
some greek populations in asia minor to
surrender
and gave the persians a solid foothold
to carry out a large-scale invasion
in 494 bce the city of melidis revolted
against its persian rulers
they were aided by athens and the nearby
city of eritrea
and even burned down an important
persian temple
the persian king darius was enraged by
their sacrilege
and in 491 bce sent messengers to the
greek cities demanding their submission
athens and sparta killed the persian
messengers
goading darius to invade the persians
began their attacks
first capturing the city of naxos and
enslaving its inhabitants
then taking the city of eritrea filled
with confidence from their string
of victories the persians set their
sights on athens
the greeks were surprised by the
ferocity of the persian attacks
seeking aid against the upcoming
invasion athens was forced to appeal to
other cities for help
in a surprising move they asked for aid
from sparta
known for having the strongest army in
greece
the spartans agreed to the request but
they were unable to send reinforcements
in time due to the religious feast of
apollo carneos
which forbade them from leaving their
city until the next full moon
the only extra help athens managed to
acquire was from the small beyocean city
of platia
which sent an additional one thousand
hoplites
this was the first time in greek history
that their entire civilization was under
attack
from an external invader despite sharing
the same language and same religion
greek city-states had often ward amongst
themselves
the persian invasion was the first time
they realized the necessity of
collective action to ensure their
survival
the persian fleet originally planned to
land at the port of falaron
however the exiled athenian tyrant
hippies who sided with the persians
advised them to land at marathon instead
where it would be easier to deploy
cavalry
the athenians were unaware of the
persian battle plans
and left marathon undefended this
allowed the persians to quietly set up
camp on the beach
while athens scrambled to mount a
defense
the persian's overwhelming numerical
superiority
forced the athenians to get creative
with their defensive strategy
the city sent ten thousand hoplites
along with the extra one thousand
plutian reinforcements
to a hill located above the persian
encampment
once in position athenians had to decide
whether to wait for the persians to
attack
or to strike them first athens
strategists believed the former option
was better
but the general militias believed a
first strike was more advantageous
as the persians had their backs to the
sea in the end
militia's opinion prevailed and the
greeks made their move
according to herodotus the greek forces
charged at the persians without archers
or cavalry
the persians were unprepared for what
they saw as an act of madness
while they were able to hold the greeks
back at first they were eventually
pushed back to their ships
and forced to retreat the persians
suffered heavy losses during the battle
with approximately six thousand four
hundred casualties
the athenians on the other hand only
lost 192 soldiers
the victory at marathon was considered
miraculous
the greeks attributed this miracle to
the appearance of legendary heroes
who they allegedly saw returned from the
dead to fight at their side in defense
of the city
for example several athenians swore they
saw the mythical king
theseus take up arms at marathon a scene
which would later be depicted in athens
agora
similarly some hoplites attested that
heracles appeared a marathon
clad in his lion's skin and wielding a
club
the supposed appearance of these heroes
helped elevate the battle of marathon to
a legendary status among the greek
people
after the persians fled marathon they
tried to invade athens by way of the bay
of falaron
however this gave the athenians time to
return to their city
and mount a proper defense fearing
further losses
the admiral of the persian fleet called
off their attack
and the persians returned to their
empire
darius was furious at the campaign's
failure and decided to seek vengeance in
a retaliatory expedition from both
land and sea meanwhile sparta
begrudgingly congratulated athens on
their victory
the victory at marathon marked the
beginning of a new era for athens
according to herodotus athens success
that pushing back the persians
ranked them first in the ongoing
competition between the greek
city-states
the athenians immortalized their
prestige by erecting monuments in both
her own city
and in delphi the battle of marathon was
also perceived as a blow against tyranny
tyranny went from being perceived as a
simple flaw in authoritarian access
to major treason against the homeland a
sin that rulers would take great pains
to avoid being accused of
this helped consolidate the institution
of democracy for the next two centuries
the persian king darius's cries of rage
echoed for years
after his humiliating defeat at a
marathon
even after dice's death his son xerxes
continued to seek
vengeance against the greeks according
to iscalis
asia was emptied of all its men greek
spies brought the news of xerxes
imminent invasion back to their homeland
afterwards many discussions were had on
the best place to mount a defense
in the end the greeks decided on
thermopylae
the area featured a narrow pass that
could act as a bottleneck for the
persian army
negating their numerical superiority it
also offered naval advantages
offering the greek fleets opportunities
for flanking
five thousand peloponnesian greeks set
up at a fort near the entrance of the
narrow passage
otherwise known as the hot gates
leading them was leonidas a spartan king
who prided himself on supposedly being a
direct descendant of heracles
leonidas was accompanied by several
elite soldiers
who together made up the famous 300
spartans
the persian army arrived in the summer
of 480 bce
preceded by a flood of rumors regarding
their strength and numbers
it was claimed they consumed six
thousand
tons of wheat every day and that they
dried every river and brook they passed
to quench their near insatiable thirst
during their march to thermopylae
the persians faced no opposition and in
fact
increased their numbers further by
recruiting more soldiers from other
greek cities and places
like thrace according to herodotus
the last count of the persian fleet was
numbered at 1
207 boats mounted by approximately 240
000 men he estimates the land army
meanwhile
was made up of more than one million men
the greek
forces at thermopylae were heavily
outnumbered
xerxes believed that at the site of his
massive
army the greeks at thermopylae would
flee
in terror instead they deliberated
the majority of the peloponnesians
wanted to engage the persians
on the isthmus of corinth leonidas
meanwhile
believed it was wiser to stay put in
thermopylae
while the greek forces debated a persian
horseman was sent to spy
on the enemy he returned to xerxes with
surprising news
not only were the greeks not fleeing but
the spartans guarding the fort
were exercising and combing their hair
a far cry from the fearful soldiers
xerxes expected
to increase the pressure on the greeks
xerxes waited
four more days then attacked on the
fifth
the persians faced heavy resistance and
suffered many losses
and herodotus says xerxes leaped three
times from his chair
seized with fear for his army the
following day proved to be just as
difficult for the persian forces
and the greeks continued to stand their
ground
the persians seemed poised to be held at
thermopylae indefinitely
until an inhabitant from the region came
forward with information
he told the persians of another route
which could take them around
thermopylae a persian contingent was
sent to verify the information
while there were greek soldiers
stationed to guard the route
they were forced to flee from the
persians
thus on the third day of the battle the
greeks were surrounded by their enemy
[Music]
with the persians both in front of and
behind them
the greek forces at thermopylae realized
they had two choices
flee to live another day or stand and
fight
till their last breath most of the
greeks chose the former option
but some stayed including leonidas
and his 300 spartans for the spartans
dying a glorious death was one of the
highest honors they could achieve
the few members of leonidas spartans who
did not participate in the last standard
thermopylae
felt that they had missed an opportunity
for honor and either committed suicide
or continued living under the mockery
and disgust
of their fellow citizens the spartan's
last stand was not only for glory though
had they not hold off the persians the
greeks retreating forces
would probably have been cut down by
enemy horsemen
on the morning of the third day king
xerxes was assured of his victory
however that victory did not come easy
king leonidas himself fell in battle
and a furious fight broke out around his
body
the spartans fought to the last man and
when they had all been
slain leonidas body was brought before
xerxes
according to herodotus persians usually
honored
the most courageous warriors even if
they were enemies
however xerxes was so consumed
by rage at the spartans resistance that
instead
he cut off leonidas head and ordered it
impaled on a stake
a statue of a lion was later erected on
the hill of the spartan's last stand
in honor of leonidas's bravery
[Music]
though they were victorious the battle
of thermopylae
shook the morale of the persian army
they had lost
thousands of men while greek casualties
only numbered in the hundreds
and due to the sacrifice of the spartans
the rest of the greek army had been able
to successfully retreat
and regroup
as a result even as xerxes set up camp
at the foot of athens's acropolis
ready to get revenge for his father's
humiliating defeat at marathon
the persians were more anxious than
confident
they were more aware than ever that the
greeks did not fear them
and were ready to die defending their
land
in the end the battle of thermopylae was
still a loss for the greeks
however the battle gave the greeks a
boost in morale that carried them all
the way to their decisive victory over
the persians
in the battle of platya in 479
bce with the war against the persians
finally won
the greeks were able to honor the
sacrifice of leonidas and his spartans
with memorials and poems forever
solidifying the glory of sparta's
military prowess
the newfound respect for sparta was
noteworthy
because before the war the city was seen
as no more than a bully
who forced itself into the affairs of
others
thermopylae changed the opinions of
sparta for the better
and gave them a legitimate claim to be
one of greece's most powerful
and influential cities
the land that would come to be known as
amphipolis
was originally part of thrace a region
inhabited by formidable semi-nomadic
horsemen
thrace was rich in gold and silver mines
it was surrounded by lush forests
making it very attractive to outside
parties like greece and persia
by 513 bce persia had managed to conquer
much of thrace
but after their defeat in 479 bce
athens made a play for the land they
conquered the nearby island of thesauce
in 465
bce but the military prowess of the
thracian riders
kept them out of the country's interior
it was only in 436 bce
that athens established a solid foothold
in thrace
with the founding of amphipolis a city
on the banks of the river strymon
during the peloponnesian war the spartan
general bresitas sought a way to subvert
athenian power across the greek world he
set his sights on capturing the coast of
thrace
hoping to seize the resources the area
provided
brassidas knew that many of the greeks
living in thrace hated the greed and
brutality of their athenian neighbors
and decided to take advantage of the
situation he set off on an expedition to
amphipolis
accompanied by 1 000 hoplites and 700
helots
and arrived before the city in the
winter of 424 bce
at amphipolis ramparts brasidis
announced that he preferred to take the
city peacefully
and promise to allow safe passage to any
inhabitants who wish to leave
in addition to sparing those who wanted
to cooperate
this proposal was well received by the
city's residence
and he was able to capture amphipolis
without striking a single blow
brassidis march on amphipolis blindsided
the athenians
by the time they heard the news and
dispatched the general thucydides to
defend amphibolis
bersitas had already rallied several
nearby cities
to help him defend the region from
athens so-called tyranny
after half a day's journey from the
south thucydides arrived at the port of
aeon
but was unable to retake amphipolis
athens held thucydides responsible for
the loss of amphibolis
and forced the general into exile in
spite of bresitas's achievements
sparta did not send him reinforcements
which forced the general to negotiate a
truce with athens to hold on to the
ground he gained
the matter of how to deal with
amphipolis divided athens
the politician nikias as well as the
city of sparta
hoped that peace could be negotiated
however the popular athenian statesman
and general cleon
wanted to continue fighting the war
indecision continued until
422 bce when cleon was elected as one of
athens strategists
this decision made it clear that the
city's people were in favor of war
the truce was ended and cleon began his
journey to amphipolis
retaking small towns that had been
conquered by brasitas along the way
on arriving at the port of aeon cleon
requested troops from the king of
macedonia
he also hired several thracian
mercenaries to bolster his forces
numbers
afterwards all cleon could do was wait
for the remainder of his reinforcements
while they waited the athenian forces
began to resent cleon's hesitation to
attack
they saw him as soft and incompetent
especially compared to their opponent
bracidus sensing the tension cleon
decided to act without waiting for
reinforcements to arrive
he set out from the port of eon to
observe amphipolis
setting up a camp on a nearby hill
to cleon's surprise amphipolis appeared
to be completely unprotected
with no guards stationed at the city's
gates and ramparts
however the city's lack of protection
was only an illusion
even so upon seeing this cleon regretted
that he did not bring wooden towers
which would have allowed him to easily
recapture the city
brasitas positioned his own troops in a
nearby wooded area
to get a better view of cleon's army
when the athenians began moving to set
up camp
bursitis returned to amphipolis he
believed his army was less well-trained
than the athenians
and decided to rely instead on cunning
tactics
and cleon's inexperience as a military
leader bresitas organized a two-prong
attack
he would personally lead a small raid
then one of his lieutenants would follow
up with a second attack shortly after
disorienting the enemy he had barely
finished formulating his plan
when he saw cleon's army pack up and
retreat back towards the coast
the cowardly display made bresitas
realize that perhaps victory would be
easier than he thought
after seeing persitus's troops return to
amphipolis
cleon decided to fall back to the port
of eon and once again wait for
reinforcements
unfortunately his exact orders were
confusing and contradictory
which left the athenian forces in
disarray
procedures took advantage of this
confusion and began his attack
cleon's forces panicked which made them
easy prey for the spartans
600 athenians were killed while the
spartans only lost
seven men cleon's remaining forces took
refuge in aeon
where the bodies of their comrades were
eventually returned to them
though only after being stripped of
their weapons
during the pitch battle between the
spartans and the athenians
both proceedus and cleon were killed
the reports of their respective deaths
reflect how they were perceived as
military leaders
we know almost nothing about cleon's
death other than that he was killed by a
thracian soldier
proceedus meanwhile survived long enough
to be taken back to amphipolis
where he was informed of his victory he
was buried inside the city
which was considered an honor bestowed
only upon heroes
and was celebrated as the true founder
of amphipolis
the battle of amphipolis temporarily put
an end to the hostilities between athens
and sparta
the athenian forces returned to perez
while sparta called back the
reinforcements they'd sent for proceedus
the death of both brassidis and cleon
encouraged the two cities to push for
peace
the negotiations took time but sparta
and athens eventually agreed to return
to the way things were before the
peloponnesian war
the resulting treaty became popularly
known as the peace of miches
throughout the greek world it was mostly
agreed that sparta had lost the war
in spite of procedures heroic efforts
the sentiment was rooted in the fact
that sparta had failed
to end athens domination over greece
something they had promised to do at the
start of the war
since 431 bce the peloponnesian war had
been raging between athens
sparta and their allies with neither
side gaining much ground
but in 425 bce an athenian general named
demosthenes changed that
after a storm forced his fleet to stop
in pilos
demosthenes realized a military presence
in the area
would give them an advantage against
sparta unfortunately
the fleet strategists did not believe
him and left demosthenes and pilas with
five triremes and one thousand men
the spartans meanwhile were too busy
celebrating a religious festival
to notice the enemy on their doorstep
once sparta discovered the athenian
presence on pilos
the spartan king aegis mustered his
troops and fleet
sparta then descended on demosthenes
outpost attacking from both the sea
and the mainland the athenian general
had to mount a hasty defense
he pulled his boats back to the foot of
the ramparts and fixed them in place
with stakes
providing extra cover then going against
all the established rules of battle he
descended with his hoplites to fight on
the rocky shore
where he believed the spartans would
disembark his gamble paid off
and the spartans did indeed attempt to
land at this location
though demosthenes forces made them
hesitate one of the spartan leaders
bersitas decided to make the first move
by ramming the rocks with his boat
exclaiming it's only a few planks he
paid for his actions
when his shield slipped into the sea
after descending from his boat
leaving him open to many blows the
battle raged on into the night
and continued to the next day remaining
locked in a stalemate
however on the evening of the second day
athenian
reinforcements arrived
the sudden arrival of the athenian fleet
stacked the odds in athens favor
the fleet decided to hold off their
attack until the next day
when they swarmed the spartan ships they
successfully captured
five enemy ships and damaged many others
cutting off access to the nearby island
of bacteria
then to add insult to injury the
athenians raised a stake
hung with weapons they'd captured from
the spartans including the shield of
brassidis
meanwhile the 420 spartans on bacteria
were trapped
and sparta was completely helpless to
rescue them
with 420 of their men trapped on
bacteria
sparta needed to re-evaluate their
position the spartans on the island were
essentially the athenians hostages
and sparta could not move to rescue or
resupply them
without putting their lives in danger in
an effort to save the trapped soldiers
the spartan leadership negotiated an
immediate truce with the athenian
strategists
sparta agreed to hold back its fleet and
halt their attacks on pilos
and in return the athenians permitted
them to send supplies to their men
in the meantime sparta sent ambassadors
to athens to try and negotiate a better
deal
the hasty truce greatly humiliated
sparta
as they were forced to recognize just
how helpless their infantry was
in the face of an athenian fleet
to bargain for the safety of their men
sparta sent ambassadors to athens
to propose a cessation of hostilities
the ambassadors tried to emphasize
that their situation was not a result of
strategic incompetence or lack of
strength
but rather plain bad luck according to
them
the spartans on bacteria did not deserve
to suffer further
because they were trapped through no
fault of their own these statements
provoked the ire of cleon
a popular athenian politician known for
his populist speeches
cleon insisted that the terms of
negotiations be discussed openly before
the assembly
and the athenian people instead of in
private the spartan ambassadors were not
as comfortable with public speaking as
the athenians
so they decided to leave
following the failed attempts at the
spartan ambassadors hostilities resumed
back in athens cleon took matters into
his own hands
after being elected general or strategos
he left to join the ongoing battle
accompanied by javelin armed infantry
and archers
with renewed strength and numbers the
athenians landed on
bacteria and engaged their enemy
the battle was hard fought but they
eventually managed to surround the
remaining spartans
it was then that cleon invited the
spartans to surrender
as they hoped to return to athens with
prisoners the spartans were exhausted
after spending 72 days on the island
so they accepted cleon's offer and lay
down their arms
a spartan capitulation had previously
been unheard of
and the news of their surrender echoed
throughout greece
like thunder the spartans capitulation
completely
changed the course of the peloponnesian
war athens used their new prisoners of
war
as leverage and threatened to execute
them if sparta ever returned to pillage
their lands
this gave the athenians the freedom to
conduct their own raids
which were aided further by their
eventual seizing of the island of
cathera
sparta tried to negotiate for peace but
were unsuccessful
cleon meanwhile was emboldened by his
victory
and continued to gain popularity with
the athenian people
popularity that translated to power
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