Today's Passage
This passage describes Brasidas's northern campaign following his stunning capture of Amphipolis in 424 BCE.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The same winter the Megarians took and razed to the foundations the long walls which had been occupied by the Athenians; and Brasidas after the capture of Amphipolis marched with his allies against Acte, a promontory running out from the King’s dike with an inward curve, and ending in Athos, a lofty mountain looking towards the Aegean Sea. In it are various towns, Sane, an Andrian colony, close to the canal, and facing the sea in the direction of Euboea; the others being Thyssus, Cleone, Acrothoi, Olophyxus, and Dium, inhabited by mixed barbarian races speaking the two languages. There is also a small Chalcidian element; but the greater number are Tyrrheno-Pelasgians once settled in Lemnos and Athens, and Bisaltians, Crestonians, and Edonians; the towns being all small ones. Most of these came over to Brasidas; but Sane and Dium held out and saw their land ravaged by him and his army.
Upon their not submitting, he at once marched against Torone in Chalcidice, which was held by an Athenian garrison, having been invited by a few persons who were prepared to hand over the town. Arriving in the dark a little before daybreak, he sat down with his army near the temple of the Dioscuri, rather more than a quarter of a mile from the city. The rest of the town of Torone and the Athenians in garrison did not perceive his approach; but his partisans knowing that he was coming (a few of them had secretly gone out to meet him) were on the watch for his arrival, and were no sooner aware of it than they took it to them seven light-armed men with daggers, who alone of twenty men ordered on this service dared to enter, commanded by Lysistratus an Olynthian. These passed through the sea wall, and without being seen went up and put to the sword the garrison of the highest post in the town, which stands on a hill, and broke open the postern on the side of Canastraeum.
Brasidas meanwhile came a little nearer and then halted with his main body, sending on one hundred targeteers to be ready to rush in first, the moment that a gate should be thrown open and the beacon lighted as agreed. After some time passed in waiting and wondering at the delay, the targeteers by degrees got up close to the town. The Toronaeans inside at work with the party that had entered had by this time broken down the postern and opened the gates leading to the market-place by cutting through the bar, and first brought some men round and let them in by the postern, in order to strike a panic into the surprised townsmen by suddenly attacking them from behind and on both sides at once; after which they raised the fire-signal as had been agreed, and took in by the market gates the rest of the targeteers.
Modern Translation
That same winter, the Megarians seized and completely demolished the long walls that had been under Athenian control. Following his capture of Amphipolis, Brasidas led his allied forces toward Acte, a peninsula extending from the King's canal that curves inward and terminates at Mount Athos, a towering peak overlooking the Aegean Sea. The peninsula contains several settlements: Sane, an Andrian colony situated near the canal facing toward Euboea, along with Thyssus, Cleone, Acrothoi, Olophyxus, and Dium. These towns are populated by diverse barbarian peoples who speak multiple languages. While a small Chalcidian minority exists, the majority consists of Tyrrheno-Pelasgians (who once inhabited Lemnos and Athens), along with Bisaltians, Crestonians, and Edonians—all living in modest settlements. Most of these communities allied themselves with Brasidas, though Sane and Dium resisted, resulting in their territories being devastated by his forces.
When these towns refused to surrender, Brasidas immediately advanced on Torone in Chalcidice, which housed an Athenian garrison. He had received an invitation from conspirators within the city who were ready to betray it. Arriving under cover of darkness just before dawn, he positioned his army near the temple of the Dioscuri, approximately four hundred meters from the city walls. While the majority of Torone's inhabitants and the Athenian garrison remained unaware of his presence, his collaborators—who had been expecting him and had secretly sent representatives to meet him—stayed vigilant for his arrival. Once they confirmed his presence, they selected seven lightly-armed soldiers carrying daggers from a unit of twenty men assigned to this mission. Led by Lysistratus of Olynthus, these were the only ones brave enough to infiltrate the city. They slipped through the sea wall undetected, ascended to the town's highest fortification on the hill, killed its defenders, and forced open the postern gate facing Canastraeum.
Meanwhile, Brasidas advanced slightly closer before halting with his main force, dispatching one hundred light infantry to prepare for an immediate assault once a gate opened and the agreed-upon signal fire appeared. As time passed without any sign, the light infantry grew anxious about the delay and gradually crept closer to the walls. Inside, the Toronaean conspirators working with the infiltrators had successfully broken through the postern and opened the gates to the marketplace by destroying the crossbar. They first led some soldiers through the postern to circle behind the town, intending to shock the unsuspecting citizens by attacking simultaneously from the rear and both flanks. After executing this maneuver, they ignited the signal fire as planned and admitted the remaining light infantry through the marketplace gates.
Historical Context
This passage describes Brasidas's northern campaign following his stunning capture of Amphipolis in 424 BCE. After securing that strategic city, the brilliant Spartan commander continues his offensive through the Chalcidice peninsula, using a combination of diplomacy and force to detach cities from the Athenian empire. The capture of Torone represents a masterclass in ancient siege warfare through treachery—a common method for taking fortified positions. Brasidas's success here further weakens Athens's grip on its crucial northern territories, which were vital for timber (shipbuilding) and tribute revenue. The passage showcases Thucydides's attention to geographical and ethnographic detail while illustrating the fragility of imperial control when local populations become disaffected. This campaign would ultimately force Athens to agree to a temporary peace in 421 BCE.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Brasidas's Northern Campaign
Brasidas's operations in Thrace and Chalcidice (424-422 BCE) represent one of Sparta's most successful offensive strategies during the Archidamian War. His charismatic leadership and promises of liberation from Athenian rule won over many subject cities, severely damaging Athens's imperial revenues and prestige.
Learn more →Ancient Siege Warfare
The capture of Torone illustrates typical ancient siege tactics: treachery from within was often more effective than direct assault. The coordination between external forces and internal conspirators, use of darkness, and seizure of key defensive positions were standard elements of successful city captures.
Learn more →Chalcidice Peninsula
The Chalcidice region was strategically crucial for Athens, providing timber for shipbuilding and serving as a key station on the route to the Black Sea grain supplies. The mixed ethnic populations described by Thucydides reflect the region's complex history of colonization and migration.
Learn more →Ethnic Diversity in Ancient Thrace
Thucydides's description of the 'barbarian races speaking two languages' illustrates the ethnic complexity of northern Greece. The Tyrrheno-Pelasgians, Bisaltians, and others mentioned represent pre-Greek populations partially Hellenized through centuries of contact with Greek colonists.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Nicias (6.1-2)
Plutarch describes the impact of Brasidas's northern victories on Athenian morale and the pressure they created for peace negotiations, providing context for understanding the strategic importance of these campaigns.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (1.1.12)
While focusing on later events, Xenophon references the lasting importance of the Chalcidice region and how control of these northern territories remained contested throughout the Peloponnesian War.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.68)
Diodorus provides a condensed account of Brasidas's campaigns, offering a different perspective on his methods of winning over cities through promises of freedom from Athenian rule.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Brasidas's use of internal conspirators reflect broader patterns of loyalty and betrayal in the Peloponnesian War? What does this suggest about the nature of Athenian imperial control?
- Analyze Thucydides's ethnographic description of the Acte peninsula. What purposes might such detailed geographical and demographic information serve in his historical narrative?
- Compare the capture of Torone with modern examples of special operations. What elements of this ancient operation seem surprisingly modern, and what aspects are distinctly ancient?
- Why might some cities have chosen to resist Brasidas despite the fate of their neighbors? What calculations might have influenced their decision-making?