Today's Passage
This passage describes the Athenian campaign against Mende and Scione in 423 BCE, during the Peace of Nicias period.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The next day the Athenians sailed round to the Scione side, and took the suburb, and all day plundered the country, without any one coming out against them, partly because of intestine disturbances in the town; and the following night the three hundred Scionaeans returned home. On the morrow Nicias advanced with half the army to the frontier of Scione and laid waste the country; while Nicostratus with the remainder sat down before the town near the upper gate on the road to Potidæa. The arms of the Mendaeans and of their Peloponnesian auxiliaries within the wall happened to be piled in that quarter, where Polydamidas accordingly began to draw them up for battle, encouraging the Mendaeans to make a sortie. At this moment one of the popular party answered him factiously that they would not go out and did not want a war, and for thus answering was dragged by the arm and knocked about by Polydamidas. Hereupon the infuriated commons at once seized their arms and rushed at the Peloponnesians and at their allies of the opposite faction. The troops thus assaulted were at once routed, partly from the suddenness of the conflict and partly through fear of the gates being opened to the Athenians, with whom they imagined that the attack had been concerted. As many as were not killed on the spot took refuge in the citadel, which they had held from the first; and the whole, Athenian army, Nicias having by this time returned and being close to the city, now burst into Mende, which had opened its gates without any convention, and sacked it just as if they had taken it by storm, the generals even finding some difficulty in restraining them from also massacring the inhabitants. After this the Athenians told the Mendaeans that they might retain their civil rights, and themselves judge the supposed authors of the revolt; and cut off the party in the citadel by a wall built down to the sea on either side, appointing troops to maintain the blockade. Having thus secured Mende, they proceeded against Scione.
The Scionaeans and Peloponnesians marched out against them, occupying a strong hill in front of the town, which had to be captured by the enemy before they could invest the place. The Athenians stormed the hill, defeated and dislodged its occupants, and, having encamped and set up a trophy, prepared for the work of circumvallation. Not long after they had begun their operations, the auxiliaries besieged in the citadel of Mende forced the guard by the sea-side and arrived by night at Scione, into which most of them succeeded in entering, passing through the besieging army.
Modern Translation
The following day, the Athenians sailed around to the Scione side and captured the suburb. They spent the entire day plundering the countryside without encountering any resistance, partly due to internal conflicts within the city. That night, the three hundred Scionaeans returned to their homes. The next morning, Nicias led half the army to Scione's border and devastated the territory, while Nicostratus positioned the rest of the force before the city near the upper gate on the Potidaea road. The weapons belonging to the Mendaeans and their Peloponnesian allies inside the walls happened to be stored in that area, so Polydamidas began organizing them for battle, urging the Mendaeans to launch an attack. At that moment, a member of the democratic faction defiantly replied that they would not venture out and had no desire for war. For this response, Polydamidas seized him by the arm and struck him. The common people, enraged by this violence, immediately grabbed their weapons and charged at both the Peloponnesians and their oligarchic allies. The attacked forces were quickly overwhelmed, partly due to the unexpected nature of the assault and partly from fear that the gates might be opened to the Athenians, with whom they suspected the attack had been coordinated. Those who escaped death fled to the citadel, which they had controlled from the beginning. The entire Athenian army—Nicias having now returned and being near the city—burst into Mende, which had opened its gates without any formal agreement. They plundered it as though they had taken it by assault, and the generals struggled to prevent their men from slaughtering the inhabitants. Afterwards, the Athenians informed the Mendaeans that they could maintain their civic rights and should themselves judge those suspected of instigating the revolt. They isolated the faction in the citadel by constructing a wall extending to the sea on both sides, stationing troops to maintain the siege. Having secured Mende, they advanced against Scione. The Scionaeans and Peloponnesians marched out to meet them, taking position on a commanding hill before the city, which the enemy would need to capture before besieging the town. The Athenians attacked the hill, defeated its defenders, and after establishing their camp and erecting a trophy, began preparations for surrounding the city with siege works. Shortly after starting these operations, the allies trapped in Mende's citadel overpowered the coastal guard and escaped by night to Scione, with most managing to slip through the besieging forces and enter the city.
Historical Context
This passage describes the Athenian campaign against Mende and Scione in 423 BCE, during the Peace of Nicias period. Both cities had revolted from Athens with Spartan encouragement, led by the Spartan commander Brasidas. The events show the brutal reality of imperial control: when Mende's democratic faction turns against the Peloponnesian garrison, the Athenians exploit the civil strife to capture and sack the city. The narrative illustrates typical patterns of Greek warfare—internal political divisions (stasis), siege operations, and the harsh treatment of rebellious subjects. This campaign represents Athens' attempt to reassert control over its empire before the peace treaty's implementation, demonstrating how local politics and great power competition intersected in the Peloponnesian War.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Stasis (Civil Conflict)
The internal conflict in Mende between democratic and oligarchic factions exemplifies stasis, a recurring theme in Greek politics. The violence between Polydamidas and the democratic citizen triggers a broader civil war that the Athenians exploit, showing how external powers manipulated internal divisions.
Learn more →Siege Warfare
The passage details classical Greek siege tactics: circumvallation (surrounding a city with walls), controlling strategic heights, and blockading by land and sea. The Athenians' methodical approach to besieging both cities demonstrates the sophisticated military engineering of the period.
Learn more →Athenian Imperialism
The harsh treatment of Mende—sacking despite its voluntary surrender—reveals the brutal nature of Athenian imperial control. The contrast between allowing Mendaeans to retain civic rights while plundering their city shows the complex dynamics of Athens' empire.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.72)
Diodorus provides a parallel account of the revolts of Scione and Mende, offering additional details about Brasidas' role and the chronology of events during this period.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Nicias (6)
Plutarch describes Nicias' character and military leadership during this period, providing insight into his cautious approach and the political pressures he faced in conducting these operations.
Read passage →Xenophon: Hellenica (1.1.12)
While covering a later period, Xenophon describes similar patterns of cities switching sides and the role of internal factions in determining allegiance during the Peloponnesian War.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the internal conflict in Mende demonstrate the relationship between domestic politics and international warfare in ancient Greece?
- What does the Athenian treatment of Mende reveal about the nature of their empire and the tension between democratic ideals and imperial practice?
- How do the different responses of Mende and Scione to Athenian pressure illustrate the strategic choices available to small cities caught between great powers?
- What role does timing play in this narrative, particularly regarding the Peace of Nicias negotiations happening simultaneously?