Today's Passage
This passage describes the prelude to the Battle of Amphipolis (422 BCE), one of the most significant engagements of the Archidamian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Cleon, whom we left on his voyage from Torone to Amphipolis, made Eion his base, and after an unsuccessful assault upon the Andrian colony of Stagirus, took Galepsus, a colony of Thasos, by storm. He now sent envoys to Perdiccas to command his attendance with an army, as provided by the alliance; and others to Thrace, to Polles, king of the Odomantians, who was to bring as many Thracian mercenaries as possible; and himself remained inactive in Eion, awaiting their arrival. Informed of this, Brasidas on his part took up a position of observation upon Cerdylium, a place situated in the Argilian country on high ground across the river, not far from Amphipolis, and commanding a view on all sides, and thus made it impossible for Cleon’s army to move without his seeing it; for he fully expected that Cleon, despising the scanty numbers of his opponent, would march against Amphipolis with the force that he had got with him. At the same time Brasidas made his preparations, calling to his standard fifteen hundred Thracian mercenaries and all the Edonians, horse and targeteers; he also had a thousand Myrcinian and Chalcidian targeteers, besides those in Amphipolis, and a force of heavy infantry numbering altogether about two thousand, and three hundred Hellenic horse. Fifteen hundred of these he had with him upon Cerdylium; the rest were stationed with Clearidas in Amphipolis.
After remaining quiet for some time, Cleon was at length obliged to do as Brasidas expected. His soldiers, tired of their inactivity, began also seriously to reflect on the weakness and incompetence of their commander, and the skill and valour that would be opposed to him, and on their own original unwillingness to accompany him. These murmurs coming to the ears of Cleon, he resolved not to disgust the army by keeping it in the same place, and broke up his camp and advanced. The temper of the general was what it had been at Pylos, his success on that occasion having given him confidence in his capacity. He never dreamed of any one coming out to fight him, but said that he was rather going up to view the place; and if he waited for his reinforcements, it was not in order to make victory secure in case he should be compelled to engage, but to be enabled to surround and storm the city. He accordingly came and posted his army upon a strong hill in front of Amphipolis, and proceeded to examine the lake formed by the Strymon, and how the town lay on the side of Thrace. He thought to retire at pleasure without fighting, as there was no one to be seen upon the wall or coming out of the gates, all of which were shut. Indeed, it seemed a mistake not to have brought down engines with him; he could then have taken the town, there being no one to defend it.
Modern Translation
Cleon, whom we last saw sailing from Torone toward Amphipolis, established his headquarters at Eion. After failing to capture Stagirus, an Andrian colony, he successfully stormed Galepsus, a Thasian settlement. He then dispatched ambassadors to Perdiccas, demanding that the king honor their alliance by bringing his army, and sent others to Thrace to summon Polles, king of the Odomantians, requesting as many Thracian mercenaries as possible. Meanwhile, Cleon remained idle at Eion, waiting for these reinforcements to arrive. Learning of these developments, Brasidas positioned himself strategically on Cerdylium, an elevated site in Argilian territory across the river from Amphipolis. This commanding height offered views in every direction, making it impossible for Cleon to move his forces undetected. Brasidas fully anticipated that Cleon, underestimating his opponent's smaller numbers, would advance on Amphipolis with his current forces. Simultaneously, Brasidas assembled his own troops: fifteen hundred Thracian mercenaries, all available Edonian cavalry and light infantry, a thousand Myrcinian and Chalcidian light troops, plus the garrison at Amphipolis—totaling approximately two thousand heavy infantry and three hundred Greek cavalry. He kept fifteen hundred men with him at Cerdylium, while Clearidas commanded the remainder in Amphipolis.
After prolonged inactivity, Cleon was eventually forced to act as Brasidas had predicted. His soldiers grew restless and began openly discussing their commander's incompetence and weakness, contrasting it with the skill and courage they would face, while recalling their initial reluctance to follow him. When these complaints reached Cleon, he decided to avoid further demoralizing his troops by remaining stationary. Breaking camp, he advanced. His attitude remained unchanged from Pylos—that earlier success had inflated his self-confidence. He never imagined anyone would engage him in battle, claiming instead that he was merely reconnoitering the position. If he awaited reinforcements, it wasn't to ensure victory in potential combat, but to have sufficient forces to encircle and assault the city. He positioned his army on a commanding hill before Amphipolis and surveyed the Strymon's lake and the town's layout toward Thrace. Believing he could withdraw whenever he pleased without fighting—seeing no defenders on the walls or emerging from the closed gates—he regretted not bringing siege equipment. The city appeared so defenseless that he felt he could have captured it immediately.
Historical Context
This passage describes the prelude to the Battle of Amphipolis (422 BCE), one of the most significant engagements of the Archidamian War. Cleon, the aggressive Athenian demagogue who had recently achieved success at Pylos, leads an expedition to recapture Amphipolis, which had defected to Sparta under Brasidas in 424 BCE. The strategic importance of Amphipolis lay in its control of the Strymon River crossing and access to Thracian resources, particularly timber for shipbuilding and precious metals. Brasidas, Sparta's most capable general, anticipates Cleon's overconfidence and positions himself to observe and counter Athenian movements. The passage highlights the contrasting leadership styles: Cleon's arrogance bred from one success versus Brasidas's careful tactical planning. This confrontation would prove decisive, as both commanders would die in the subsequent battle, removing two major obstacles to peace negotiations.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Amphipolis
Founded as an Athenian colony in 437 BCE, Amphipolis controlled the vital crossing of the Strymon River and access to the gold mines of Mount Pangaion. Its defection to Brasidas in 424 BCE was a severe blow to Athenian prestige and resources, making its recovery a priority.
Learn more →Cleon
An Athenian politician and general, Cleon rose to prominence after Pericles' death as leader of the war party. Known for his aggressive rhetoric and opposition to peace, his victory at Pylos (425 BCE) enhanced his military reputation despite his lack of traditional military training.
Learn more →Brasidas
Sparta's most innovative commander, Brasidas revolutionized Spartan strategy by operating far from home with mixed forces including allies and mercenaries. His diplomatic skills and military prowess made him uniquely successful in winning over Greek cities in the northern Aegean.
Learn more →Thracian Mercenaries
Thracian warriors were highly valued as light infantry (peltasts) in Greek warfare. Armed with javelins and small shields, they provided crucial tactical flexibility. Both sides in this campaign relied heavily on Thracian troops, highlighting the increasing importance of non-hoplite forces.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.73-74)
Diodorus provides a condensed account of the Amphipolis campaign, emphasizing the deaths of both commanders and its impact on peace negotiations. His version highlights the mutual destruction of the war's most aggressive leaders.
Read passage →Plutarch: Life of Nicias (6.1-2)
Plutarch contrasts Cleon's recklessness with Nicias's caution, using the Amphipolis campaign as an example of how aggressive democratic politicians could lead Athens to disaster through military inexperience.
Read passage →Aristophanes: Wasps (Lines 1030-1037)
Written shortly after these events, Aristophanes mocks Cleon's military pretensions and suggests his soldiers' reluctance to follow him, corroborating Thucydides' account of troop dissatisfaction.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides use the soldiers' murmuring to comment on the relationship between military leadership and democratic politics in Athens?
- What does Cleon's assumption that Amphipolis was undefended reveal about the dangers of overconfidence in military command?
- How does Brasidas's use of mixed forces (Greeks, Thracians, and local allies) represent an evolution in Greek warfare?
- To what extent does Thucydides' portrayal of Cleon here seem influenced by the historian's possible personal animosity?