Today's Passage
This passage describes the Plataean counterattack during the Theban surprise assault on Plataea in 431 BCE, which marked the beginning of active hostilities in the Peloponnesian War.
Crawley Translation (1910)
On becoming aware of the presence of the Thebans within their gates, and of the sudden occupation of the town, the Plataeans concluded in their alarm that more had entered than was really the case, the night preventing their seeing them. They accordingly came to terms and, accepting the proposal, made no movement; especially as the Thebans offered none of them any violence. But somehow or other, during the negotiations, they discovered the scanty numbers of the Thebans, and decided that they could easily attack and overpower them; the mass of the Plataeans being averse to revolting from Athens. At all events they resolved to attempt it. Digging through the party walls of the houses, they thus managed to join each other without being seen going through the streets, in which they placed wagons without the beasts in them, to serve as a barricade, and arranged everything else as seemed convenient for the occasion. When everything had been done that circumstances permitted, they watched their opportunity and went out of their houses against the enemy. It was still night, though daybreak was at hand: in daylight it was thought that their attack would be met by men full of courage and on equal terms with their assailants, while in darkness it would fall upon panic-stricken troops, who would also be at a disadvantage from their enemy’s knowledge of the locality. So they made their assault at once, and came to close quarters as quickly as they could.
Modern Translation
When the Plataeans realized that Theban forces had infiltrated their gates and suddenly occupied the city, they panicked and assumed far more troops had entered than actually had—the darkness concealing the true numbers. They therefore agreed to negotiate and, accepting the Thebans' terms, took no hostile action, particularly since the Thebans had not harmed anyone. However, during these talks, they somehow discovered how few Thebans there actually were and concluded they could easily overwhelm them in battle. The majority of Plataeans remained loyal to Athens and opposed defection. They resolved to attack. To avoid detection in the streets, they broke through the connecting walls between houses, allowing them to move unseen from building to building. They positioned wagons without draft animals across the streets as barricades and made whatever other preparations the situation allowed. Once everything possible was ready, they waited for the right moment before emerging from their houses to attack. It was still dark, though dawn approached—they calculated that daylight would find their enemies confident and fighting on equal terms, whereas darkness would catch them terrified and disadvantaged by unfamiliarity with the city's layout. They launched their assault immediately, closing to hand-to-hand combat as swiftly as possible.
Historical Context
This passage describes the Plataean counterattack during the Theban surprise assault on Plataea in 431 BCE, which marked the beginning of active hostilities in the Peloponnesian War. A small Theban force of about 300 men had infiltrated the city at night with help from Plataean oligarchs who wanted to align with Sparta. Initially believing themselves outnumbered, the democratic Plataeans negotiated, but upon discovering the Thebans' small numbers, they organized a coordinated nighttime counterattack. This event was crucial as Plataea was Athens' oldest ally, and the attack violated the existing peace. The Plataeans' successful resistance would lead to a famous siege and ultimately demonstrate the breakdown of traditional Greek conventions of warfare.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Plataea's Strategic Importance
Plataea held unique significance as Athens' most loyal ally since the Battle of Marathon (490 BCE). The city's location on the Boeotian frontier made it a crucial buffer between Athens and Thebes. Its attack represented a clear casus belli for Athens.
Learn more →Greek Urban Warfare
The Plataeans' tactics—tunneling through house walls and using wagons as barricades—illustrate sophisticated urban combat techniques. Greek cities typically had narrow streets and connected houses, making such tactics feasible and effective against invaders unfamiliar with the layout.
Learn more →Night Fighting in Ancient Greece
Night combat was unusual and generally avoided in Greek warfare due to difficulties with coordination and identification. The Plataeans' choice to attack at night demonstrates both desperation and tactical thinking, exploiting their knowledge of the city against disoriented invaders.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Herodotus: Histories (6.108)
Describes the original alliance between Athens and Plataea before Marathon, explaining why Plataea remained Athens' most faithful ally and why the Thebans targeted them.
Read passage →Demosthenes: On the Crown (18.96)
References the Plataean contribution to Greek freedom and their special relationship with Athens, providing context for why they resisted Theban occupation.
Read passage →Pausanias: Description of Greece (9.1.5-8)
Provides details about Plataea's layout and fortifications, helping understand how the Plataeans could move through houses and why local knowledge was so advantageous.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the Plataeans' use of deception and local knowledge reflect broader themes about power asymmetry in Thucydides?
- What does this passage reveal about the relationship between democracy and loyalty to Athens in allied cities?
- How might the outcome have differed if the Plataeans had accepted the Theban occupation? Consider both immediate and long-term consequences.
- What does the contrast between negotiation and violence in this scene suggest about the breakdown of diplomatic norms at the war's start?