Today's Passage
This passage describes the aftermath of the Battle of Leukimme (435 BCE), where Corcyra defeated Corinth in a naval engagement over control of Epidamnus.
Crawley Translation (1910)
After the engagement the Corcyraeans set up a trophy on Leukimme, a headland of Corcyra, and slew all their captives except the Corinthians, whom they kept as prisoners of war. Defeated at sea, the Corinthians and their allies repaired home, and left the Corcyraeans masters of all the sea about those parts. Sailing to Leucas, a Corinthian colony, they ravaged their territory, and burnt Cyllene, the harbour of the Eleans, because they had furnished ships and money to Corinth. For almost the whole of the period that followed the battle they remained masters of the sea, and the allies of Corinth were harassed by Corcyraean cruisers. At last Corinth, roused by the sufferings of her allies, sent out ships and troops in the fall of the summer, who formed an encampment at Actium and about Chimerium, in Thesprotis, for the protection of Leucas and the rest of the friendly cities. The Corcyraeans on their part formed a similar station on Leukimme. Neither party made any movement, but they remained confronting each other till the end of the summer, and winter was at hand before either of them returned home.
Corinth, exasperated by the war with the Corcyraeans, spent the whole of the year after the engagement and that succeeding it in building ships, and in straining every nerve to form an efficient fleet; rowers being drawn from Peloponnese and the rest of Hellas by the inducement of large bounties. The Corcyraeans, alarmed at the news of their preparations, being without a single ally in Hellas (for they had not enrolled themselves either in the Athenian or in the Lacedaemonian confederacy), decided to repair to Athens in order to enter into alliance and to endeavour to procure support from her. Corinth also, hearing of their intentions, sent an embassy to Athens to prevent the Corcyraean navy being joined by the Athenian, and her prospect of ordering the war according to her wishes being thus impeded. An assembly was convoked, and the rival advocates appeared: the Corcyraeans spoke as follows:
Modern Translation
Following the naval engagement, the Corcyraeans erected a victory monument on Leukimme, a promontory of Corcyra, and executed all their prisoners except the Corinthians, whom they held as prisoners of war. After their defeat at sea, the Corinthians and their allies sailed home, leaving the Corcyraeans in control of the surrounding waters. The Corcyraeans then sailed to Leucas, a Corinthian colony, where they devastated the territory and burned Cyllene, the Elean harbor, as punishment for providing ships and funds to Corinth. For nearly the entire period following the battle, they maintained naval supremacy, and Corinthian allies suffered constant harassment from Corcyraean raiders. Finally, Corinth, spurred by her allies' distress, dispatched ships and troops in late summer to establish a base at Actium and around Chimerium in Thesprotis, to protect Leucas and other friendly cities. The Corcyraeans responded by establishing their own position on Leukimme. Neither side took offensive action; they simply faced each other until summer's end, and both withdrew only when winter approached.
Corinth, infuriated by the conflict with Corcyra, devoted the entire year following the battle and the subsequent year to shipbuilding, exerting maximum effort to create a formidable fleet, recruiting rowers from the Peloponnese and throughout Greece with generous pay incentives. The Corcyraeans, alarmed by reports of these preparations and lacking any ally in Greece (having joined neither the Athenian nor Spartan alliance), resolved to approach Athens to form an alliance and seek military support. When Corinth learned of these plans, they too sent ambassadors to Athens to prevent the Corcyraean fleet from joining forces with Athens, which would hinder Corinth's ability to prosecute the war on favorable terms. An assembly was called, and both sides presented their cases: the Corcyraeans spoke first.
Historical Context
This passage describes the aftermath of the Battle of Leukimme (435 BCE), where Corcyra defeated Corinth in a naval engagement over control of Epidamnus. Following their victory, Corcyra established naval dominance in the region, harassing Corinthian allies and colonies. The conflict escalated as both sides prepared for renewed warfare, with Corinth building a massive fleet while Corcyra, previously neutral in Greek affairs, sought alliance with Athens. This diplomatic mission to Athens would prove pivotal, as Athenian involvement in the dispute between Corinth (a Spartan ally) and Corcyra would become one of the immediate causes of the Peloponnesian War. The passage highlights how a local conflict could draw in the major powers of Greece.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Naval Warfare in Ancient Greece
Naval power was crucial in Greek warfare, especially for island states like Corcyra. Control of sea routes meant economic dominance through trade and the ability to project military force. The passage shows how naval victory translated into regional hegemony.
Learn more →Greek Trophy Monuments
Setting up a trophy (tropaion) was a standard Greek practice after victory. These monuments, usually made from captured enemy equipment, marked the point where the enemy turned to flee and served both religious and propaganda purposes.
Learn more →Prisoners of War in Ancient Greece
The differential treatment of prisoners - executing allies but keeping Corinthians alive - reflects Greek customs regarding prisoner value. Citizens of major poleis were often ransomed, while others faced execution or enslavement.
Learn more →Delian and Peloponnesian Leagues
Corcyra's neutrality between the Athenian-led Delian League and Spartan-led Peloponnesian League was unusual. Most Greek states aligned with one power or the other, making Corcyra's large fleet a valuable potential ally.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.30-33)
Diodorus provides a parallel account of the Corcyra-Corinth conflict, though with less detail than Thucydides. He emphasizes the role of this dispute in precipitating the larger war.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Pericles (29-32)
Plutarch describes Pericles' role in convincing Athens to aid Corcyra, providing insight into Athenian decision-making that complements Thucydides' focus on the speeches themselves.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (Book 1.1.1-7)
Though Xenophon begins where Thucydides ends, he references earlier naval conflicts and their impact on Greek interstate relations, showing the long-term consequences of naval supremacy disputes.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the treatment of prisoners after the battle reflect Greek values and the practical considerations of warfare? What does the distinction between Corinthians and other prisoners suggest?
- Why might Corcyra have remained neutral between Athens and Sparta for so long, and what finally drove them to seek an alliance?
- How does Thucydides present the escalation from a local conflict to one that would involve all of Greece? What role does naval power play in this escalation?
- What can we infer about the economic aspects of ancient warfare from the mention of 'large bounties' for rowers and the burning of Cyllene harbor?