Today's Passage
This passage describes a significant diplomatic crisis during the Olympic Games of 420 BCE, when Sparta was excluded from participating in or attending the sacred festival.
Crawley Translation (1910)
At the Olympic games which were held this summer, and in which the Arcadian Androsthenes was victor the first time in the wrestling and boxing, the Lacedaemonians were excluded from the temple by the Eleans, and thus prevented from sacrificing or contending, for having refused to pay the fine specified in the Olympic law imposed upon them by the Eleans, who alleged that they had attacked Fort Phyrcus, and sent heavy infantry of theirs into Lepreum during the Olympic truce. The amount of the fine was two thousand minae, two for each heavy-armed soldier, as the law prescribes. The Lacedaemonians sent envoys, and pleaded that the imposition was unjust; saying that the truce had not yet been proclaimed at Lacedaemon when the heavy infantry were sent off. But the Eleans affirmed that the armistice with them had already begun (they proclaim it first among themselves), and that the aggression of the Lacedaemonians had taken them by surprise while they were living quietly as in time of peace, and not expecting anything. Upon this the Lacedaemonians submitted, that if the Eleans really believed that they had committed an aggression, it was useless after that to proclaim the truce at Lacedaemon; but they had proclaimed it notwithstanding, as believing nothing of the kind, and from that moment the Lacedaemonians had made no attack upon their country. Nevertheless the Eleans adhered to what they had said, that nothing would persuade them that an aggression had not been committed; if, however, the Lacedaemonians would restore Lepreum, they would give up their own share of the money and pay that of the god for them.
Modern Translation
During the Olympic Games held this summer, where the Arcadian Androsthenes won his first victory in the combined wrestling and boxing event, the Spartans were barred from the temple by the Eleans and thus prevented from making sacrifices or competing. This exclusion resulted from their refusal to pay a fine that the Eleans had imposed according to Olympic law. The Eleans claimed that Sparta had attacked Fort Phyrcus and deployed heavy infantry to Lepreum during the sacred Olympic truce. The fine totaled two thousand minae—two minae for each heavy-armed soldier, as prescribed by law. The Spartans dispatched ambassadors to protest that the penalty was unjust, arguing that the truce had not yet been announced in Sparta when they sent their troops. However, the Eleans insisted that the armistice had already taken effect among themselves (as they traditionally proclaim it first in their own territory), and that the Spartan aggression had caught them off guard while they were living peacefully, expecting no hostilities. The Spartans countered that if the Eleans truly believed an act of aggression had occurred, it made no sense for them to subsequently proclaim the truce in Sparta—yet they had done so anyway, suggesting they didn't really believe their own accusation. Moreover, from the moment of that proclamation, Sparta had launched no attacks on Elean territory. Despite these arguments, the Eleans remained firm in their position that an aggression had indeed occurred. They offered, however, that if the Spartans would return Lepreum to them, they would forgo their portion of the fine and even pay the god's share on Sparta's behalf.
Historical Context
This passage describes a significant diplomatic crisis during the Olympic Games of 420 BCE, when Sparta was excluded from participating in or attending the sacred festival. The incident occurred during a period of nominal peace following the Peace of Nicias (421 BCE), though tensions remained high. The Eleans, who controlled Olympia and administered the games, accused Sparta of violating the sacred Olympic truce by military actions at Fort Phyrcus and Lepreum. This exclusion was unprecedented for a major Greek power and represented a serious blow to Spartan prestige. The dispute reveals the complex interplay between religious obligations, interstate law, and power politics in Classical Greece, while also highlighting how smaller states like Elis could leverage religious authority against military superpowers.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Olympic Truce
The Olympic truce (ekecheiria) was a sacred armistice proclaimed before and during the Olympic Games, allowing safe passage for athletes and spectators. Violating this truce was considered both sacrilege and a breach of Panhellenic law, punishable by substantial fines and exclusion from the games.
Learn more →Elis and Olympia
Elis controlled the sanctuary of Olympia and administered the Olympic Games, giving this relatively small polis significant religious and cultural authority in the Greek world. This position allowed them to challenge even powerful states like Sparta through religious sanctions.
Learn more →Lepreum
Lepreum was a disputed border town between Elis and Sparta's sphere of influence. Control of such peripheral territories was crucial for maintaining buffer zones and extending influence, making them frequent sources of conflict between Greek states.
Learn more →Greek Monetary System
The mina was a unit of weight and currency in ancient Greece, with one mina equal to 100 drachmas. Two thousand minae represented an enormous sum, equivalent to several talents, demonstrating the severity of the fine imposed on Sparta.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Xenophon: Hellenica (3.2.21-31)
Xenophon describes later Elean-Spartan conflicts, including Sparta's invasion of Elis in 402-400 BCE, which was partly motivated by this earlier humiliation and dispute over Lepreum.
Read passage →Pausanias: Description of Greece (6.2.2-3)
Pausanias mentions various Olympic violations and fines, providing context for the religious and legal framework that governed the games and the authority of the Eleans to impose such penalties.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.78.4)
Diodorus provides an account of tensions between Sparta and Elis during this period, offering a different perspective on the territorial disputes that led to the Olympic exclusion.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does this incident illustrate the tension between religious authority and military power in Classical Greece? Could the Eleans have enforced their judgment without the backing of other Greek states?
- Analyze the Spartan legal argument about the timing of the truce proclamation. What does this reveal about ancient Greek concepts of law and communication in interstate relations?
- Why might the Eleans have offered to pay 'the god's share' of the fine if Sparta returned Lepreum? What does this suggest about the relative importance of religious obligations versus territorial gains?
- How does this episode reflect the broader breakdown of the Peace of Nicias? What role did smaller states play in the conflicts between major powers?