Today's Passage
This passage describes the siege of Sphacteria island near Pylos in 425 BCE, a critical moment in the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Meanwhile the Athenians at Pylos were still besieging the Lacedaemonians in the island, the Peloponnesian forces on the continent remaining where they were. The blockade was very laborious for the Athenians from want of food and water; there was no spring except one in the citadel of Pylos itself, and that not a large one, and most of them were obliged to grub up the shingle on the sea beach and drink such water as they could find. They also suffered from want of room, being encamped in a narrow space; and as there was no anchorage for the ships, some took their meals on shore in their turn, while the others were anchored out at sea. But their greatest discouragement arose from the unexpectedly long time which it took to reduce a body of men shut up in a desert island, with only brackish water to drink, a matter which they had imagined would take them only a few days. The fact was that the Lacedaemonians had made advertisement for volunteers to carry into the island ground corn, wine, cheese, and any other food useful in a siege; high prices being offered, and freedom promised to any of the Helots who should succeed in doing so. The Helots accordingly were most forward to engage in this risky traffic, putting off from this or that part of Peloponnese, and running in by night on the seaward side of the island. They were best pleased, however, when they could catch a wind to carry them in. It was more easy to elude the look-out of the galleys, when it blew from the seaward, as it became impossible for them to anchor round the island; while the Helots had their boats rated at their value in money, and ran them ashore, without caring how they landed, being sure to find the soldiers waiting for them at the landing-places. But all who risked it in fair weather were taken. Divers also swam in under water from the harbour, dragging by a cord in skins poppyseed mixed with honey, and bruised linseed; these at first escaped notice, but afterwards a look-out was kept for them. In short, both sides tried every possible contrivance, the one to throw in provisions, and the other to prevent their introduction.
Modern Translation
During this time, the Athenians at Pylos continued their siege of the Spartan forces trapped on the island, while the Peloponnesian army remained stationed on the mainland opposite them. The blockade proved extremely difficult for the Athenians due to severe shortages of food and fresh water. Apart from one small spring within the fortress of Pylos itself, they had no water source and were forced to dig through the beach gravel to find whatever brackish water they could drink. The cramped conditions made their situation worse, as they were confined to a narrow area. With no proper anchorage available, the ships had to take turns—some crews would come ashore for meals while others remained anchored offshore. What discouraged them most, however, was how much longer the siege was taking than expected. They had assumed that starving out men trapped on a barren island with only salt water would require just a few days. The reason for this miscalculation was that the Spartans had issued a call for volunteers to smuggle supplies to the island—grain, wine, cheese, and any provisions useful for withstanding a siege. They offered substantial rewards and, significantly, promised freedom to any helots who succeeded. The helots responded eagerly to this dangerous opportunity, launching from various points along the Peloponnesian coast and attempting to land on the island's seaward side under cover of darkness. They much preferred sailing when the wind was in their favor, as this made it impossible for the Athenian patrol ships to maintain their positions around the island. The helots, having received payment for their vessels in advance, would run them aground without concern for damage, knowing that Spartan soldiers would be waiting at the landing spots. Those who attempted the crossing in calm weather were invariably captured. Some divers even tried swimming underwater from the harbor, pulling behind them wineskins filled with poppy seeds mixed with honey and ground linseed. Initially these swimmers went undetected, but soon the Athenians posted guards to watch for them. In sum, each side employed every conceivable method—the Spartans to deliver supplies, the Athenians to intercept them.
Historical Context
This passage describes the siege of Sphacteria island near Pylos in 425 BCE, a critical moment in the Peloponnesian War. After an Athenian force under Demosthenes fortified Pylos, a Spartan assault failed and left 420 hoplites (including 120 Spartiates) trapped on nearby Sphacteria. The Athenians blockaded the island, expecting a quick surrender. However, the siege dragged on due to successful Spartan supply runs, particularly by helots motivated by promises of freedom. This event was unprecedented—Spartans were expected to fight to the death rather than face siege. The eventual Spartan surrender would shock the Greek world and give Athens valuable hostages, fundamentally altering the war's dynamics and challenging assumptions about Spartan military culture.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Helots and Spartan Society
Helots were the enslaved population of Laconia and Messenia who worked Spartan lands. The promise of freedom for successful supply runs reveals both their desperate condition and Sparta's pragmatic willingness to manumit them when necessary. This episode highlights the complex dynamics of Spartan society under extreme pressure.
Learn more →Ancient Naval Blockades
The Athenian blockade demonstrates the challenges of maintaining naval cordons in ancient warfare. Without modern technology, preventing small boats from slipping through at night required constant vigilance. The reliance on weather conditions and the inability to anchor in rough seas made complete isolation nearly impossible.
Learn more →Siege Warfare Logistics
Both sides faced severe logistical challenges—the Athenians lacked water and space, while the Spartans needed to supply troops on a barren island. The creative solutions (underwater swimmers, night runs, beach water collection) illustrate the resourcefulness required in ancient siege warfare where supply lines determined success.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Nicias (7.3-4)
Plutarch describes the political pressure in Athens to conclude the siege quickly and Cleon's boastful promise to capture the Spartans within twenty days, providing context for Athenian frustration.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.61-63)
Diodorus provides a condensed account of the Pylos campaign, including details about the negotiations between Athens and Sparta during the siege and the unprecedented nature of potential Spartan surrender.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (1.2.18)
Though dealing with a later period, Xenophon describes similar Spartan promises of freedom to helots who served in military campaigns, showing this was an established practice in extremis.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- What does the Spartan promise of freedom to helots reveal about the flexibility of their social system under extreme pressure? How might this have affected helot-Spartan relations?
- Why do you think Thucydides emphasizes the unexpected length of the siege? What assumptions about Spartan character does this challenge?
- How do the contrasting hardships faced by both sides (Athenian water shortage vs. Spartan isolation) illustrate the nature of siege warfare in the ancient world?
- What role does innovation and adaptation play in this passage? How do both sides demonstrate tactical creativity?