Today's Passage
This passage describes the Samian Revolt (440-439 BCE), a critical test of Athenian imperial power before the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
As soon as the Athenians heard the news, they sailed with sixty ships against Samos. Sixteen of these went to Caria to look out for the Phoenician fleet, and to Chios and Lesbos carrying round orders for reinforcements, and so never engaged; but forty-four ships under the command of Pericles with nine colleagues gave battle, off the island of Tragia, to seventy Samian vessels, of which twenty were transports, as they were sailing from Miletus. Victory remained with the Athenians. Reinforced afterwards by forty ships from Athens, and twenty-five Chian and Lesbian vessels, the Athenians landed, and having the superiority by land invested the city with three walls; it was also invested from the sea. Meanwhile Pericles took sixty ships from the blockading squadron, and departed in haste for Caunus and Caria, intelligence having been brought in of the approach of the Phoenician fleet to the aid of the Samians; indeed Stesagoras and others had left the island with five ships to bring them. But in the meantime the Samians made a sudden sally, and fell on the camp, which they found unfortified. Destroying the look-out vessels, and engaging and defeating such as were being launched to meet them, they remained masters of their own seas for fourteen days, and carried in and carried out what they pleased. But on the arrival of Pericles, they were once more shut up. Fresh reinforcements afterwards arrived—forty ships from Athens with Thucydides, Hagnon, and Phormio; twenty with Tlepolemus and Anticles, and thirty vessels from Chios and Lesbos. After a brief attempt at fighting, the Samians, unable to hold out, were reduced after a nine months’ siege and surrendered on conditions; they razed their walls, gave hostages, delivered up their ships, and arranged to pay the expenses of the war by instalments. The Byzantines also agreed to be subject as before.
Second Congress at Lacedaemon—Preparations for War and Diplomatic Skirmishes—Cylon—Pausanias—Themistocles
Modern Translation
Upon receiving this intelligence, the Athenians immediately dispatched sixty warships to Samos. Of these, sixteen vessels were diverted to Caria to monitor the Phoenician fleet's movements, while others sailed to Chios and Lesbos with orders to gather reinforcements—these ships consequently never participated in the engagement. The remaining forty-four vessels, commanded by Pericles and nine fellow generals, encountered seventy Samian ships near the island of Tragia as they returned from Miletus. Twenty of the Samian vessels were transport ships. The Athenians emerged victorious from this naval engagement. Subsequently reinforced by forty additional Athenian ships and twenty-five vessels from Chios and Lesbos, the Athenians established their superiority on land and besieged the city, constructing three encircling walls while maintaining a naval blockade. Pericles then withdrew sixty ships from the blockading force and hastened toward Caunus and Caria, having received intelligence that the Phoenician fleet was approaching to assist the Samians. Indeed, Stesagoras and others had already departed from Samos with five vessels to summon this aid. During Pericles' absence, the Samians executed a surprise attack on the Athenian camp, which they discovered was unfortified. They destroyed the guard ships and defeated the vessels hastily launched against them, thereby controlling their surrounding waters for fourteen days, freely transporting supplies in and out as they wished. However, Pericles' return restored the blockade. Additional reinforcements soon arrived: forty Athenian ships commanded by Thucydides, Hagnon, and Phormio; twenty vessels under Tlepolemus and Anticles; and thirty ships from Chios and Lesbos. Following a brief resistance, the Samians, recognizing their untenable position, capitulated after a nine-month siege. The surrender terms required them to demolish their fortifications, provide hostages, surrender their fleet, and pay war reparations in installments. The Byzantines likewise submitted to their previous subject status.
Historical Context
This passage describes the Samian Revolt (440-439 BCE), a critical test of Athenian imperial power before the Peloponnesian War. Samos, one of Athens' most powerful allies, had rebelled against Athenian control. The revolt threatened Athens' naval supremacy and control over the Delian League. Pericles, Athens' leading statesman and general, personally commanded the response, demonstrating the revolt's significance. The episode reveals Athens' military capabilities and imperial methods: overwhelming naval force, systematic siege warfare, and harsh surrender terms that eliminated Samos' autonomy. The revolt's suppression strengthened Athens' grip on its empire but also demonstrated to other Greek states the consequences of challenging Athenian hegemony, contributing to the tensions that would eventually spark the Peloponnesian War.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Athenian Naval Strategy
The deployment of over 100 ships demonstrates Athens' extraordinary naval capacity. The strategic division of forces—blockading Samos while monitoring potential Phoenician intervention—shows sophisticated naval planning. Athens' ability to sustain such operations reveals the empire's resources.
Learn more →Siege Warfare
The nine-month siege involving triple land walls and naval blockade represents advanced 5th-century BCE siege techniques. This methodical approach, combining land and sea forces, became a model for later Greek siege operations.
Learn more →Pericles' Leadership
Pericles' personal command and tactical decisions—including his risky departure to intercept the Phoenicians—illustrate his dual role as politician and general. His eventual success reinforced his political dominance in Athens.
Learn more →Delian League Dynamics
The revolt exposes the transformation of the Delian League from alliance to empire. The harsh surrender terms—wall destruction, hostage-taking, fleet confiscation—were standard Athenian methods for controlling subject states.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Pericles (25-28)
Plutarch provides additional details about the Samian revolt, including the role of Aspasia and the brutality of the siege. He emphasizes Pericles' personal involvement and the political controversies surrounding the campaign.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.27-28)
Diodorus offers an alternative account focusing on the siege's duration and the suffering of the Samians. He provides different casualty figures and emphasizes the revolt's economic motivations.
Read passage →Aristotle: Constitution of the Athenians (24)
Aristotle briefly mentions the Samian revolt in the context of Athenian imperial administration, noting how the suppression of revolts like Samos' consolidated Athens' control over the Delian League.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Pericles' decision to pursue the Phoenician fleet, leaving the siege vulnerable, reflect the challenges of imperial management? What does this reveal about Athenian strategic priorities?
- Compare the surrender terms imposed on Samos with modern concepts of sovereignty. How did Athens justify such harsh measures against a former ally?
- What role did naval supremacy play in maintaining the Athenian empire? How does this passage illustrate both the strengths and vulnerabilities of sea power?
- How might this successful suppression of revolt have influenced other Delian League members' attitudes toward Athens? Did it prevent or encourage future rebellions?