Today's Passage
This passage describes Cleon's successful capture of Torone in 422 BCE during his Thracian campaign.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Meanwhile Cleon prevailed on the Athenians to let him set sail at the expiration of the armistice for the towns in the direction of Thrace with twelve hundred heavy infantry and three hundred horse from Athens, a large force of the allies, and thirty ships. First touching at the still besieged Scione, and taking some heavy infantry from the army there, he next sailed into Cophos, a harbour in the territory of Torone, which is not far from the town. From thence, having learnt from deserters that Brasidas was not in Torone, and that its garrison was not strong enough to give him battle, he advanced with his army against the town, sending ten ships to sail round into the harbour. He first came to the fortification lately thrown up in front of the town by Brasidas in order to take in the suburb, to do which he had pulled down part of the original wall and made it all one city. To this point Pasitelidas, the Lacedaemonian commander, with such garrison as there was in the place, hurried to repel the Athenian assault; but finding himself hard pressed, and seeing the ships that had been sent round sailing into the harbour, Pasitelidas began to be afraid that they might get up to the city before its defenders were there and, the fortification being also carried, he might be taken prisoner, and so abandoned the outwork and ran into the town. But the Athenians from the ships had already taken Torone, and their land forces following at his heels burst in with him with a rush over the part of the old wall that had been pulled down, killing some of the Peloponnesians and Toronaeans in the melee, and making prisoners of the rest, and Pasitelidas their commander amongst them. Brasidas meanwhile had advanced to relieve Torone, and had only about four miles more to go when he heard of its fall on the road, and turned back again. Cleon and the Athenians set up two trophies, one by the harbour, the other by the fortification and, making slaves of the wives and children of the Toronaeans, sent the men with the Peloponnesians and any Chalcidians that were there, to the number of seven hundred, to Athens; whence, however, they all came home afterwards, the Peloponnesians on the conclusion of peace, and the rest by being exchanged against other prisoners with the Olynthians. About the same time Panactum, a fortress on the Athenian border, was taken by treachery by the Boeotians. Meanwhile Cleon, after placing a garrison in Torone, weighed anchor and sailed around Athos on his way to Amphipolis.
Modern Translation
During this period, Cleon convinced the Athenians to allow him to sail for the Thracian territories once the armistice expired. He commanded twelve hundred heavy infantry and three hundred cavalry from Athens, along with a substantial allied force and thirty ships. His first stop was at Scione, which was still under siege, where he recruited additional heavy infantry from the besieging army. He then sailed to Cophos, a harbor within Torone's territory, situated close to the city itself. Intelligence from deserters revealed that Brasidas was absent from Torone and that the garrison lacked sufficient strength to engage him in battle. Cleon therefore advanced his army toward the city while dispatching ten ships to circumnavigate into the harbor. He initially encountered the fortification that Brasidas had recently constructed before the city to incorporate the suburb, achieving this by demolishing a section of the original wall to create a unified urban space. Pasitelidas, the Spartan commander, rushed to this position with the available garrison to repel the Athenian assault. However, under severe pressure and observing the detached ships entering the harbor, Pasitelidas feared they would reach the city before its defenders could respond and that the fortification would fall, leaving him captured. He therefore abandoned the outer defenses and retreated to the city. But the Athenians from the ships had already seized Torone, and their land forces, following closely behind, burst through the breach in the demolished wall alongside him. In the ensuing chaos, they killed several Peloponnesians and Toroneans while capturing the remainder, including Commander Pasitelidas himself. Brasidas, who had been advancing to relieve Torone, was merely four miles away when news of the city's fall reached him, forcing his withdrawal. Cleon and the Athenians erected two victory monuments—one near the harbor, another by the fortification—and enslaved the Toronean women and children. The men, along with the Peloponnesians and any Chalcidians present, totaling seven hundred, were sent to Athens. Subsequently, all returned home—the Peloponnesians when peace was concluded, the others through prisoner exchanges with the Olynthians. During this same period, the Boeotians captured Panactum, an Athenian border fortress, through treachery. After establishing a garrison in Torone, Cleon set sail, rounding Mount Athos en route to Amphipolis.
Historical Context
This passage describes Cleon's successful capture of Torone in 422 BCE during his Thracian campaign. Following the expiration of a temporary armistice, the aggressive Athenian demagogue led a substantial force to reclaim cities that had revolted under Brasidas's influence. The swift fall of Torone demonstrates both Athenian naval superiority and the vulnerability of cities with inadequate garrisons. Brasidas's near-miss in relieving the city highlights the importance of timing in ancient warfare. This victory temporarily boosted Cleon's reputation, though he would soon meet his death at Amphipolis facing Brasidas directly. The capture of Torone represents a brief Athenian resurgence in the northern theater before the eventual Peace of Nicias.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Cleon's Military Leadership
Cleon, originally a tanner and demagogue, demonstrates competent tactical planning in this operation. His coordinated land-sea assault and effective use of intelligence from deserters shows military capability often overlooked due to his controversial political reputation and later defeat at Amphipolis.
Learn more →Ancient Siege Warfare
The passage illustrates typical Greek siege tactics: naval blockade combined with land assault, exploitation of fortification weaknesses, and the psychological impact of encirclement. Brasidas's earlier modification of Torone's defenses ironically created the vulnerability Cleon exploited.
Learn more →Treatment of Captured Cities
The enslavement of women and children while sending men to Athens reflects standard Greek practice. The eventual return of prisoners through exchange or peace terms shows how such harsh measures were often temporary, serving immediate strategic rather than punitive purposes.
Learn more →Trophy Monuments
The erection of two trophies (tropaia) marks the spots of Athenian victory. These temporary monuments, typically made from captured arms and armor, served religious and propagandistic functions, thanking the gods and commemorating success for both contemporary and future audiences.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.73)
Diodorus provides a condensed account of Cleon's Thracian campaign, including the capture of Torone, though with less tactical detail than Thucydides. He emphasizes Cleon's initial successes before his fatal encounter at Amphipolis.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Nicias (6-7)
While focusing on Nicias, Plutarch contrasts his cautious approach with Cleon's aggressive tactics. He mentions Cleon's northern campaign as context for understanding the political dynamics leading to the Peace of Nicias.
Read passage →Aristophanes: Wasps (Lines 210-220)
Written during Cleon's lifetime, this comedy mocks his military pretensions. Though not historical narrative, it provides contemporary Athenian perspective on Cleon's transformation from politician to general, relevant to understanding his Thracian command.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Cleon's successful military operation at Torone challenge or confirm ancient and modern assessments of his capabilities as a leader?
- What does the treatment of Torone's population reveal about Greek conventions of warfare and their limits? How does the eventual return of prisoners complicate our understanding?
- Analyze the role of timing and intelligence in this operation. How might the outcome have differed if Brasidas had arrived just hours earlier?
- Compare Thucydides' seemingly neutral narration of Cleon's success here with his generally hostile portrayal elsewhere. What might account for this difference?