Today's Passage
This passage describes the Athenian assault on Sphacteria island during the Pylos campaign of 425 BCE.
Crawley Translation (1910)
On the rejection of this proposition the generals let one day pass, and the next, embarking all their heavy infantry on board a few ships, put out by night, and a little before dawn landed on both sides of the island from the open sea and from the harbour, being about eight hundred strong, and advanced with a run against the first post in the island.
The enemy had distributed his force as follows: In this first post there were about thirty heavy infantry; the centre and most level part, where the water was, was held by the main body, and by Epitadas their commander; while a small party guarded the very end of the island, towards Pylos, which was precipitous on the sea-side and very difficult to attack from the land, and where there was also a sort of old fort of stones rudely put together, which they thought might be useful to them, in case they should be forced to retreat. Such was their disposition.
The advanced post thus attacked by the Athenians was at once put to the sword, the men being scarcely out of bed and still arming, the landing having taken them by surprise, as they fancied the ships were only sailing as usual to their stations for the night. As soon as day broke, the rest of the army landed, that is to say, all the crews of rather more than seventy ships, except the lowest rank of oars, with the arms they carried, eight hundred archers, and as many targeteers, the Messenian reinforcements, and all the other troops on duty round Pylos, except the garrison on the fort. The tactics of Demosthenes had divided them into companies of two hundred, more or less, and made them occupy the highest points in order to paralyse the enemy by surrounding him on every side and thus leaving him without any tangible adversary, exposed to the cross-fire of their host; plied by those in his rear if he attacked in front, and by those on one flank if he moved against those on the other. In short, wherever he went he would have the assailants behind him, and these light-armed assailants, the most awkward of all; arrows, darts, stones, and slings making them formidable at a distance, and there being no means of getting at them at close quarters, as they could conquer flying, and the moment their pursuer turned they were upon him. Such was the idea that inspired Demosthenes in his conception of the descent, and presided over its execution.
Modern Translation
When this proposal was rejected, the generals waited one day before taking action. The following night, they embarked all their hoplites aboard a small number of ships and set sail under cover of darkness. Just before dawn, they landed on both sides of the island—from the open sea and from the harbor—with approximately eight hundred men. They immediately charged at full speed toward the first enemy position on the island.
The Spartans had arranged their forces in this manner: The first outpost contained roughly thirty hoplites. The central area, the most level ground where the water source was located, housed the main force under their commander Epitadas. A small detachment guarded the island's far end facing Pylos, which featured steep cliffs on the seaward side and proved nearly impossible to assault from land. There stood an ancient fortification of roughly assembled stones, which they believed might serve as a refuge if forced to retreat. This was how they had positioned themselves.
The Athenians overwhelmed this advance post instantly, killing the soldiers who were barely awake and still reaching for their weapons. The landing achieved complete surprise—the defenders had assumed the ships were merely moving to their regular nighttime positions. At daybreak, the remainder of the force disembarked: the crews from over seventy ships (excluding only the lowest tier of rowers), each man carrying whatever arms he possessed, eight hundred archers, an equal number of light-armed troops, the Messenian reinforcements, and all other forces stationed around Pylos except those manning the fortress. Following Demosthenes' tactical plan, they divided into companies of roughly two hundred men each and seized the high ground. This deployment aimed to paralyze the enemy by encircling them completely, leaving no clear opponent to engage while exposing them to crossfire from every direction. If they attacked those in front, the rear units would strike; if they turned on one flank, the other would assault them. Wherever they moved, attackers would harass them from behind—these light-armed troops proving especially troublesome, as their missiles (arrows, javelins, stones, and slings) made them dangerous at range while their mobility prevented close combat. They could strike while retreating and immediately counterattack when pursued. This strategy had guided Demosthenes' planning of the assault and now governed its execution.
Historical Context
This passage describes the Athenian assault on Sphacteria island during the Pylos campaign of 425 BCE. After failed negotiations, Demosthenes and the Athenian general Cleon launch a surprise dawn attack on the Spartan forces trapped on the island. The Spartans, led by Epitadas, had been blockaded there after the Athenians fortified Pylos. This operation represents a crucial moment in the Peloponnesian War, as the potential capture of Spartan hoplites would provide Athens with valuable hostages. Demosthenes employs innovative tactics using light-armed troops to neutralize the Spartans' traditional hoplite superiority, demonstrating the evolution of Greek warfare and challenging Spartan military dominance.
Annotations & References
Hoplite Warfare
Traditional Greek warfare centered on heavily-armed infantry (hoplites) fighting in close formation. Demosthenes' use of light-armed troops with missile weapons represents a tactical innovation that exploited the hoplites' vulnerability to ranged attacks and mobility limitations.
Learn more →Battle of Sphacteria
This engagement resulted in the unprecedented surrender of Spartan hoplites, shocking the Greek world and demonstrating Athens' tactical adaptability. The victory gave Athens crucial leverage in negotiations and challenged Sparta's reputation for invincibility.
Learn more →Demosthenes (general)
An innovative Athenian general who pioneered the use of light-armed troops and unconventional tactics. His success at Pylos and Sphacteria marked him as one of Athens' most capable commanders during the Peloponnesian War.
Learn more →Ancient Greek Military Tactics
The passage illustrates the evolution from traditional phalanx warfare to more flexible combined-arms tactics, incorporating archers, slingers, and light infantry to counter heavy infantry's limitations in rough terrain.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.61-63)
Provides an alternative account of the Pylos-Sphacteria campaign, offering additional details about the negotiations and the psychological impact of potential Spartan losses on their decision-making.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Nicias (7.3-4)
Discusses the political context in Athens surrounding the Sphacteria operation, particularly the rivalry between Cleon and Nicias and how it influenced the decision to launch the assault.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (1.2.18)
References the long-term impact of Sphacteria on Spartan policy and morale, showing how the capture of their soldiers influenced subsequent Spartan diplomatic and military decisions throughout the war.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Demosthenes' tactical innovation challenge traditional Greek concepts of honorable warfare? What does this suggest about the evolution of military ethics during prolonged conflict?
- Why might Thucydides provide such detailed description of the troop dispositions and tactics? What does this reveal about his intended audience and historical method?
- How does the element of surprise factor into Demosthenes' success? What does this episode suggest about the relationship between intelligence, deception, and victory in ancient warfare?
- In what ways does this passage illustrate the tension between traditional Spartan military values and the practical demands of the Peloponnesian War?