Today's Passage
This passage describes events in 428 BCE, during the fourth year of the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Fourth and Fifth Years of the War—Revolt of Mitylene
The next summer, just as the corn was getting ripe, the Peloponnesians and their allies invaded Attica under the command of Archidamus, son of Zeuxidamus, king of the Lacedaemonians, and sat down and ravaged the land; the Athenian horse as usual attacking them, wherever it was practicable, and preventing the mass of the light troops from advancing from their camp and wasting the parts near the city. After staying the time for which they had taken provisions, the invaders retired and dispersed to their several cities.
Immediately after the invasion of the Peloponnesians all Lesbos, except Methymna, revolted from the Athenians. The Lesbians had wished to revolt even before the war, but the Lacedaemonians would not receive them; and yet now when they did revolt, they were compelled to do so sooner than they had intended. While they were waiting until the moles for their harbours and the ships and walls that they had in building should be finished, and for the arrival of archers and corn and other things that they were engaged in fetching from the Pontus, the Tenedians, with whom they were at enmity, and the Methymnians, and some factious persons in Mitylene itself, who were proxeni of Athens, informed the Athenians that the Mitylenians were forcibly uniting the island under their sovereignty, and that the preparations about which they were so active, were all concerted with the Boeotians their kindred and the Lacedaemonians with a view to a revolt, and that, unless they were immediately prevented, Athens would lose Lesbos.
Modern Translation
The following summer, just as the grain was ripening, the Peloponnesians and their allies invaded Attica under Archidamus, son of Zeuxidamus, the Spartan king. They established their position and laid waste to the countryside. The Athenian cavalry harassed them wherever possible, preventing the light-armed troops from venturing far from their main camp to devastate the areas near Athens. When they had exhausted their provisions, the invaders withdrew and returned to their respective cities.
Immediately following this Peloponnesian invasion, the entire island of Lesbos, with the exception of Methymna, revolted from Athens. The Lesbians had wanted to revolt even before the war began, but the Spartans had refused to support them. Now, however, they were forced to revolt prematurely, before their preparations were complete. They were still waiting for the completion of harbor fortifications, ships, and walls under construction, as well as for archers, grain, and other supplies they had ordered from the Black Sea region. Meanwhile, the Tenedians, who were hostile to them, along with the Methymnians and certain pro-Athenian factions within Mytilene itself—men who served as Athenian proxenoi—informed Athens that the Mytileneans were forcibly consolidating control over the entire island. They warned that all these preparations were being coordinated with their Boeotian kinsmen and the Spartans for the purpose of revolt, and that unless Athens acted immediately, they would lose Lesbos.
Historical Context
This passage describes events in 428 BCE, during the fourth year of the Peloponnesian War. After the annual Spartan invasion of Attica, the strategic island of Lesbos revolts from the Athenian empire. Mytilene, the principal city of Lesbos, leads the revolt, though the city of Methymna remains loyal to Athens. The revolt is particularly significant because Lesbos was one of Athens' last autonomous allies, contributing ships rather than tribute. The Mytileneans' attempt to unify the island under their control and their secret negotiations with Sparta and Boeotia represent a serious threat to Athenian naval supremacy. The passage reveals the complex network of informants and competing loyalties within the Athenian empire, as pro-Athenian proxenoi in Mytilene warn Athens of the impending revolt.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Proxenoi
Proxenoi were citizens who represented the interests of a foreign state in their own city, similar to modern honorary consuls. In this case, certain Mytileneans served Athens' interests and warned them of the revolt. This institution was crucial for diplomatic relations and intelligence gathering in the Greek world.
Learn more →Lesbos in the Athenian Empire
Lesbos was one of only two remaining autonomous allies of Athens (along with Chios) that contributed ships rather than monetary tribute. Its strategic location near the Hellespont made it crucial for protecting Athens' grain supply routes from the Black Sea.
Learn more →Annual Spartan Invasions
The Spartans invaded Attica almost annually during the Archidamian War (431-421 BCE), attempting to force Athens into a land battle and destroy their crops. The Athenians, following Pericles' strategy, refused to engage and relied on their naval supremacy while sheltering behind their walls.
Learn more →The Pontus Trade
The Pontus (Black Sea) region was Athens' primary source of grain imports. Control of the sea routes through the Hellespont and Bosphorus was essential for Athens' food security, making the loyalty of nearby islands like Lesbos strategically vital.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Aristotle: Constitution of Athens (Chapter 24)
Discusses Athens' imperial system and the distinction between tribute-paying allies and ship-contributing allies like Lesbos, providing context for why the Mytilenean revolt was particularly significant.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.55)
Provides a parallel account of the Mytilenean revolt, offering additional details about the negotiations between Mytilene and Sparta and the internal politics of Lesbos.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (Book 1.6.12-13)
Though describing later events, Xenophon discusses the strategic importance of controlling the Hellespont and the islands near the grain routes, illuminating why Athens reacted so strongly to the Lesbian revolt.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- What does the role of the proxenoi reveal about the nature of loyalty and identity in the Greek city-state system?
- How does the timing of the Mytilenean revolt—immediately after a Spartan invasion—reflect the strategic calculations of both sides?
- What does Mytilene's need for supplies from the Pontus tell us about the economic foundations of military power in classical Greece?
- How might the distinction between ship-contributing and tribute-paying allies have affected Athens' response to different revolts?