Today's Passage
This passage describes the fall of Amphipolis to the Spartan general Brasidas in 424 BCE, one of the most significant Athenian losses of the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The bulk of the inhabitants, upon hearing this, began to change their minds, especially as only a small number of the citizens were Athenians, the majority having come from different quarters, and many of the prisoners outside had relations within the walls. They found the proclamation a fair one in comparison of what their fear had suggested; the Athenians being glad to go out, as they thought they ran more risk than the rest, and further, did not expect any speedy relief, and the multitude generally being content at being left in possession of their civic rights, and at such an unexpected reprieve from danger. The partisans of Brasidas now openly advocated this course, seeing that the feeling of the people had changed, and that they no longer gave ear to the Athenian general present; and thus the surrender was made and Brasidas was admitted by them on the terms of his proclamation. In this way they gave up the city, and late in the same day Thucydides and his ships entered the harbour of Eion, Brasidas having just got hold of Amphipolis, and having been within a night of taking Eion: had the ships been less prompt in relieving it, in the morning it would have been his.
After this Thucydides put all in order at Eion to secure it against any present or future attack of Brasidas, and received such as had elected to come there from the interior according to the terms agreed on. Meanwhile Brasidas suddenly sailed with a number of boats down the river to Eion to see if he could not seize the point running out from the wall, and so command the entrance; at the same time he attempted it by land, but was beaten off on both sides and had to content himself with arranging matters at Amphipolis and in the neighbourhood. Myrcinus, an Edonian town, also came over to him; the Edonian king Pittacus having been killed by the sons of Goaxis and his own wife Brauro; and Galepsus and Oesime, which are Thasian colonies, not long after followed its example. Perdiccas too came up immediately after the capture and joined in these arrangements.
Modern Translation
When the majority of the inhabitants heard this proposal, they began to reconsider their position. This shift occurred particularly because only a small portion of the citizens were actually Athenians—most had come from various other places—and many of those captured outside the walls had relatives inside the city. Compared to what they had feared might happen, they found the terms reasonable. The Athenians were relieved to depart, believing they faced greater danger than the others and seeing no prospect of swift reinforcement. The general population was satisfied with retaining their citizenship rights and this unexpected escape from peril. The supporters of Brasidas now openly promoted acceptance, recognizing that public sentiment had shifted and that the people no longer heeded the Athenian commander present. Thus the surrender was arranged, and Brasidas entered the city according to his proclaimed terms. In this manner they yielded Amphipolis, and that same day, late in the evening, Thucydides arrived with his fleet at Eion's harbor. Brasidas had only just secured Amphipolis and came within a single night of capturing Eion as well—had the ships arrived any later, he would have taken it by morning.
Thucydides then organized Eion's defenses against any immediate or future assault by Brasidas, and welcomed those who chose to relocate there from inland areas according to the agreed conditions. Meanwhile, Brasidas swiftly sailed downriver toward Eion with several vessels, hoping to capture the promontory extending from the fortifications and thereby control the harbor entrance. He simultaneously launched a land assault, but both attacks were repulsed, forcing him to concentrate on consolidating his position at Amphipolis and the surrounding region. Myrcinus, an Edonian settlement, defected to him after the Edonian king Pittacus was assassinated by Goaxis's sons and his own wife Brauro. Shortly thereafter, the Thasian colonies of Galepsus and Oesime followed suit. Perdiccas arrived immediately following the capture to participate in these arrangements.
Historical Context
This passage describes the fall of Amphipolis to the Spartan general Brasidas in 424 BCE, one of the most significant Athenian losses of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides himself was the Athenian general commanding the relief force, arriving too late to save the strategically vital city. Amphipolis controlled access to timber resources and the gold mines of Mount Pangaion, making its loss a severe blow to Athens. The passage reveals how Brasidas's lenient terms and diplomatic skill won over a population that included few actual Athenian citizens. Thucydides' failure to save Amphipolis led to his exile from Athens for twenty years, during which he wrote his history. The rapid defection of neighboring cities demonstrates how Brasidas's success triggered a domino effect that threatened Athens' entire position in the northern Aegean.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Amphipolis Strategic Importance
Amphipolis was founded by Athens in 437 BCE at a crucial crossing of the Strymon River. It controlled access to Thracian timber essential for shipbuilding and the rich gold and silver mines of Mount Pangaion, providing Athens with critical resources for maintaining its naval supremacy and financing the war effort.
Learn more →Brasidas's Northern Campaign
Brasidas's expedition to Thrace (424-422 BCE) was revolutionary in Spartan strategy, taking the war far from traditional battlegrounds. His combination of military skill, personal charisma, and lenient treatment of surrendered cities made him exceptionally successful in detaching Athenian allies.
Learn more →Mixed Colonial Populations
Greek colonies often contained diverse populations beyond the founding city's citizens. This passage illustrates how such demographic complexity created divided loyalties that skillful commanders could exploit, as most inhabitants felt less commitment to Athens than ethnic Athenians would have.
Learn more →Thucydides as Historical Actor
This passage uniquely features Thucydides as both historian and participant. His failure to save Amphipolis led to his exile, profoundly shaping his historical method. He refers to himself in the third person, maintaining the objective voice that characterizes his work despite personal involvement.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Nicias (6.1-2)
Plutarch describes how the loss of Amphipolis haunted Athenian politics for years, with Cleon using it to attack the generals' competence and push for more aggressive strategies, ultimately leading to his fatal campaign against Brasidas.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.68)
Diodorus provides a parallel account of Brasidas's capture of Amphipolis, emphasizing his generous terms and noting how this moderation contrasted with typical Spartan harshness, making him particularly effective in winning over Athenian subjects.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (2.2.3)
Though describing later events, Xenophon notes how Athens never fully recovered its northern empire after Brasidas's campaign, showing the long-term strategic impact of losing Amphipolis and its neighboring cities.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Brasidas's strategy of offering lenient terms contrast with typical ancient warfare practices, and why was it so effective in this case?
- What does this passage reveal about the nature of loyalty and identity in Greek colonial cities? How did mixed populations affect imperial control?
- How might Thucydides' personal involvement in these events have influenced his historical narrative, despite his attempts at objectivity?
- What does the rapid defection of multiple cities suggest about the stability of the Athenian empire and the effectiveness of fear versus moderation in maintaining imperial control?