Today's Passage
Thucydides describes the turbulent period following the Trojan War, characterized by widespread population movements and political instability throughout Greece.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Even after the Trojan War, Hellas was still engaged in removing and settling, and thus could not attain to the quiet which must precede growth. The late return of the Hellenes from Ilium caused many revolutions, and factions ensued almost everywhere; and it was the citizens thus driven into exile who founded the cities. Sixty years after the capture of Ilium, the modern Boeotians were driven out of Arne by the Thessalians, and settled in the present Boeotia, the former Cadmeis; though there was a division of them there before, some of whom joined the expedition to Ilium. Twenty years later, the Dorians and the Heraclids became masters of Peloponnese; so that much had to be done and many years had to elapse before Hellas could attain to a durable tranquillity undisturbed by removals, and could begin to send out colonies, as Athens did to Ionia and most of the islands, and the Peloponnesians to most of Italy and Sicily and some places in the rest of Hellas. All these places were founded subsequently to the war with Troy.
Modern Translation
Even after the Trojan War, Greece remained caught up in migrations and resettlement, unable to achieve the stability necessary for development. The delayed return of the Greeks from Troy sparked numerous upheavals, with civil conflicts erupting nearly everywhere; those forced into exile went on to establish new cities. Sixty years after Troy's fall, the present-day Boeotians were expelled from Arne by the Thessalians and settled in what we now call Boeotia, previously known as Cadmeis—though some of their people had already lived there and joined the Trojan expedition. Twenty years after that, the Dorians and the descendants of Heracles conquered the Peloponnese. Thus many tasks needed completion and considerable time had to pass before Greece could achieve lasting peace free from population movements and begin establishing colonies—as Athens did in Ionia and most islands, and the Peloponnesians did throughout much of Italy, Sicily, and other Greek territories. All these settlements were founded after the Trojan War.
Historical Context
Thucydides describes the turbulent period following the Trojan War, characterized by widespread population movements and political instability throughout Greece. This passage explains why Greek civilization took centuries to stabilize after the legendary conflict. The historian traces major migrations including the Boeotian displacement by Thessalians and the Dorian invasion of the Peloponnese. These upheavals prevented Greece from achieving the peace necessary for cultural and economic development. Only after these migrations settled could Greek city-states begin their great colonization movement, with Athens founding colonies in Ionia and the Aegean islands, while Peloponnesian cities colonized Italy and Sicily. This historical overview serves Thucydides' larger purpose of demonstrating how Greek power gradually developed over centuries, setting the stage for understanding the unprecedented scale and significance of the Peloponnesian War.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
The Dorian Invasion
The migration of Dorian Greeks into the Peloponnese, traditionally dated to around 1100-1000 BCE, marked a major demographic shift in ancient Greece. This event, connected with the Heraclidae (descendants of Heracles), resulted in the establishment of major Dorian centers like Sparta and Corinth.
Learn more →Greek Colonization
The Greek colonization movement (8th-6th centuries BCE) saw city-states establishing settlements throughout the Mediterranean. Athens led Ionian colonization in Asia Minor, while Peloponnesian cities founded colonies in Magna Graecia (Southern Italy and Sicily).
Learn more →Post-Bronze Age Migrations
The period after the Bronze Age collapse (c. 1200 BCE) witnessed massive population movements throughout Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. These migrations reshaped the ethnic and political map of Greece, leading to the formation of historical Greek city-states.
Learn more →Boeotian Migration
The movement of the Boeotians from Thessaly to central Greece represents one of several tribal migrations in early Greek history. They displaced or merged with the earlier 'Cadmeian' population, named after the mythical founder of Thebes, Cadmus.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Herodotus: Histories (Book 1.56-58)
Herodotus discusses the division between Dorian and Ionian Greeks, providing background on these ethnic distinctions that resulted from the post-Trojan War migrations Thucydides describes.
Read passage →Pausanias: Description of Greece (Book 2.18.7)
Pausanias provides details about the return of the Heraclidae to the Peloponnese, offering a more mythological account of the Dorian invasion that Thucydides treats as historical fact.
Read passage →Strabo: Geography (Book 9.2.3)
Strabo discusses the Boeotian migration from Thessaly and their settlement in central Greece, corroborating Thucydides' account while providing additional geographical and ethnographic details.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides' emphasis on migration and instability challenge traditional Greek narratives about their heroic past?
- What does this passage suggest about the relationship between political stability and cultural development in ancient societies?
- How might the memory of these ancient migrations have influenced Greek attitudes toward citizenship and ethnic identity in Thucydides' own time?
- Why does Thucydides present colonization as a sign of strength and stability rather than expansion for its own sake?