Today's Passage
This passage occurs at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War (431 BCE), as Pericles implements his defensive strategy.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The Athenians listened to his advice, and began to carry in their wives and children from the country, and all their household furniture, even to the woodwork of their houses which they took down. Their sheep and cattle they sent over to Euboea and the adjacent islands. But they found it hard to move, as most of them had been always used to live in the country.
From very early times this had been more the case with the Athenians than with others. Under Cecrops and the first kings, down to the reign of Theseus, Attica had always consisted of a number of independent townships, each with its own town hall and magistrates. Except in times of danger the king at Athens was not consulted; in ordinary seasons they carried on their government and settled their affairs without his interference; sometimes even they waged war against him, as in the case of the Eleusinians with Eumolpus against Erechtheus. In Theseus, however, they had a king of equal intelligence and power; and one of the chief features in his organization of the country was to abolish the council-chambers and magistrates of the petty cities, and to merge them in the single council-chamber and town hall of the present capital. Individuals might still enjoy their private property just as before, but they were henceforth compelled to have only one political centre, viz., Athens; which thus counted all the inhabitants of Attica among her citizens, so that when Theseus died he left a great state behind him. Indeed, from him dates the Synoecia, or Feast of Union; which is paid for by the state, and which the Athenians still keep in honour of the goddess. Before this the city consisted of the present citadel and the district beneath it looking rather towards the south. This is shown by the fact that the temples of the other deities, besides that of Athene, are in the citadel; and even those that are outside it are mostly situated in this quarter of the city, as that of the Olympian Zeus, of the Pythian Apollo, of Earth, and of Dionysus in the Marshes, the same in whose honour the older Dionysia are to this day celebrated in the month of Anthesterion not only by the Athenians but also by their Ionian descendants. There are also other ancient temples in this quarter. The fountain too, which, since the alteration made by the tyrants, has been called Enneacrounos, or Nine Pipes, but which, when the spring was open, went by the name of Callirhoe, or Fairwater, was in those days, from being so near, used for the most important offices. Indeed, the old fashion of using the water before marriage and for other sacred purposes is still kept up. Again, from their old residence in that quarter, the citadel is still known among Athenians as the city.
Modern Translation
The Athenians followed Pericles' advice and began evacuating their families from the countryside, bringing their wives and children into the city along with all their household possessions, even dismantling the wooden frameworks of their houses. They shipped their livestock to Euboea and the nearby islands. However, this relocation proved difficult for them, since most Athenians had traditionally lived in the rural districts.
This rural lifestyle had characterized the Athenians more than other Greeks since ancient times. From the era of Cecrops and the early kings through to Theseus' reign, Attica had consisted of numerous autonomous communities, each maintaining its own civic center and local officials. Under normal circumstances, these communities governed themselves without consulting the king in Athens; they only sought royal authority during emergencies. Sometimes they even fought against Athens, as when the Eleusinians under Eumolpus warred against King Erechtheus.
Theseus, however, proved to be a monarch of exceptional wisdom and strength. His most significant reform involved dissolving the local councils and administrative centers of these smaller communities, consolidating them into a single council chamber and civic center in what became the capital. While people retained their private property as before, they were now required to recognize Athens as their sole political center. This meant that all inhabitants of Attica became Athenian citizens, and when Theseus died, he had created a unified and powerful state. The Synoecia, or Festival of Union, commemorates this achievement—a state-sponsored celebration that Athenians still observe in Athena's honor.
Before this unification, the city comprised only the current acropolis and the area below it facing south. Evidence for this includes the location of temples to various deities besides Athena within the citadel, while those outside it cluster primarily in this southern quarter—including the temples of Olympian Zeus, Pythian Apollo, Earth, and Dionysus of the Marshes, where the ancient Dionysia festival continues to be celebrated during Anthesterion by both Athenians and their Ionian colonists. Other ancient sanctuaries also occupy this district.
The fountain that the tyrants renamed Enneacrounos (Nine Spouts), but which originally bore the name Callirhoe (Beautiful Spring) when it flowed openly, served important ceremonial functions due to its proximity. Even today, tradition dictates using its water for pre-wedding rituals and other sacred ceremonies. Furthermore, because of this historical settlement pattern, Athenians still refer to the acropolis simply as 'the city.'
Historical Context
This passage occurs at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War (431 BCE), as Pericles implements his defensive strategy. He has convinced the Athenians to abandon the countryside and retreat within the city walls, allowing the Spartans to ravage Attica while Athens relies on its naval supremacy and imperial resources. Thucydides uses this moment of mass migration to provide a historical digression about Athens' political development, explaining why this evacuation was particularly difficult for Athenians who had deep ancestral connections to their rural demes. The passage illustrates how Theseus' synoecism (political unification) created the centralized Athenian state, transforming independent communities into a single polis while preserving local identities—a tension now painfully evident as citizens abandon their ancestral homes.
Annotations & References
Synoecism of Theseus
Synoecism (synoikismos) refers to the political unification of scattered communities into a single city-state. Theseus' legendary consolidation of Attica's independent townships into Athens became foundational to Athenian identity, celebrated annually at the Synoecia festival. This reform created the administrative framework that enabled Athens' later democratic developments.
Learn more →Athenian Demes
The demes were local districts of Attica that retained strong communal identities even after political unification. Citizens identified themselves by their deme of origin, and many religious and social functions remained locally organized. This explains why abandoning rural homes for urban refuge was particularly traumatic.
Learn more →Periclean Strategy
Pericles' defensive strategy relied on Athens' naval supremacy and imperial tribute. By withdrawing behind the Long Walls, Athens could withstand Spartan land invasions while using its fleet to raid enemy territory and maintain supply lines. This strategy required abandoning Attica to devastation.
Learn more →Ancient Athenian Topography
Thucydides provides valuable evidence for early Athens' layout, centered on the Acropolis and southern slope. Archaeological evidence confirms his account of ancient shrines and the Enneacrounos fountain, demonstrating his careful use of physical remains to reconstruct historical development.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Theseus (24.1-4)
Plutarch provides a detailed account of Theseus' synoecism, describing how he persuaded the local communities to abandon their town halls and merge into Athens, promising them equality and democratic participation.
Read passage →Aristotle: Constitution of Athens (Fragment 41)
Aristotle discusses the synoecism as a crucial moment in Athens' constitutional development, linking it to the origins of Athenian democracy and the creation of a unified citizen body from previously autonomous communities.
Read passage →Pausanias: Description of Greece (1.18.9)
Pausanias describes the Enneacrounos fountain mentioned by Thucydides, confirming its location and ceremonial importance, particularly for wedding preparations, thus corroborating Thucydides' archaeological observations.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides use this moment of crisis to explore the tension between local identity and political unity in Athens? What modern parallels might exist?
- What does this passage reveal about Thucydides' historical method, particularly his use of religious festivals, place names, and physical monuments as evidence?
- How might the historical memory of autonomous communities have influenced Athenian democracy's emphasis on local participation through the deme system?
- Why does Thucydides choose this particular moment to provide this historical digression? How does it deepen our understanding of the war's impact on Athenian society?