Today's Passage
This passage describes the opening phase of the Peloponnesian War's second year (430 BCE), when the Spartan king Archidamus led another invasion of Attica.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The reason why Archidamus remained in order of battle at Acharnae during this incursion, instead of descending into the plain, is said to have been this. He hoped that the Athenians might possibly be tempted by the multitude of their youth and the unprecedented efficiency of their service to come out to battle and attempt to stop the devastation of their lands. Accordingly, as they had met him at Eleusis or the Thriasian plain, he tried if they could be provoked to a sally by the spectacle of a camp at Acharnae. He thought the place itself a good position for encamping; and it seemed likely that such an important part of the state as the three thousand heavy infantry of the Acharnians would refuse to submit to the ruin of their property, and would force a battle on the rest of the citizens. On the other hand, should the Athenians not take the field during this incursion, he could then fearlessly ravage the plain in future invasions, and extend his advance up to the very walls of Athens. After the Acharnians had lost their own property they would be less willing to risk themselves for that of their neighbours; and so there would be division in the Athenian counsels. These were the motives of Archidamus for remaining at Acharnae.
In the meanwhile, as long as the army was at Eleusis and the Thriasian plain, hopes were still entertained of its not advancing any nearer. It was remembered that Pleistoanax, son of Pausanias, king of Lacedaemon, had invaded Attica with a Peloponnesian army fourteen years before, but had retreated without advancing farther than Eleusis and Thria, which indeed proved the cause of his exile from Sparta, as it was thought he had been bribed to retreat. But when they saw the army at Acharnae, barely seven miles from Athens, they lost all patience. The territory of Athens was being ravaged before the very eyes of the Athenians, a sight which the young men had never seen before and the old only in the Median wars; and it was naturally thought a grievous insult, and the determination was universal, especially among the young men, to sally forth and stop it. Knots were formed in the streets and engaged in hot discussion; for if the proposed sally was warmly recommended, it was also in some cases opposed. Oracles of the most various import were recited by the collectors, and found eager listeners in one or other of the disputants. Foremost in pressing for the sally were the Acharnians, as constituting no small part of the army of the state, and as it was their land that was being ravaged. In short, the whole city was in a most excited state; Pericles was the object of general indignation; his previous counsels were totally forgotten; he was abused for not leading out the army which he commanded, and was made responsible for the whole of the public suffering.
Modern Translation
Archidamus's decision to maintain his battle formation at Acharnae rather than advancing into the plain during this invasion is explained as follows. He calculated that the Athenians, given their unprecedented military preparedness and the large number of young men eager for action, might be provoked into leaving their fortifications to prevent the destruction of their territory. Having failed to draw them out at Eleusis or the Thriasian plain, he attempted to goad them into battle by establishing his camp at Acharnae. The location itself offered strategic advantages for encampment, and he reasoned that the Acharnians—who contributed three thousand heavy infantry to Athens's forces and constituted a significant portion of the state—would not tolerate watching their property destroyed. They would pressure their fellow citizens to fight. Alternatively, if the Athenians refused to engage during this invasion, future campaigns could proceed with greater confidence, allowing him to devastate the plain and advance directly to Athens's walls. Once the Acharnians had suffered losses, they would be less inclined to risk themselves defending their neighbors' property, creating discord within Athenian decision-making. These calculations motivated Archidamus to remain at Acharnae.
Meanwhile, while the Spartan forces remained at Eleusis and the Thriasian plain, the Athenians maintained hope that the enemy would advance no further. They recalled how Pleistoanax, son of Pausanias and king of Sparta, had invaded Attica with Peloponnesian forces fourteen years earlier but withdrew after reaching only Eleusis and Thria—a retreat that resulted in his exile from Sparta amid suspicions of bribery. However, when they observed the army at Acharnae, merely seven miles from Athens, their restraint evaporated. The sight of Athenian territory being devastated within view of the city—something the younger generation had never witnessed and the elderly had not seen since the Persian Wars—was perceived as an intolerable humiliation. The consensus, particularly among the youth, favored immediate military action to halt the destruction. Groups gathered in the streets, engaging in heated debates; while many advocated for an immediate sortie, others argued against it. Oracle-mongers circulated prophecies of every conceivable interpretation, each finding receptive audiences among the opposing factions. The Acharnians were the most vehement advocates for action, both because they represented a substantial portion of the state's military strength and because their lands were suffering devastation. The entire city seethed with agitation; Pericles became the target of widespread fury, his earlier strategic advice completely disregarded. The populace condemned him for failing to lead the forces under his command into battle and held him accountable for all their collective sufferings.
Historical Context
This passage describes the opening phase of the Peloponnesian War's second year (430 BCE), when the Spartan king Archidamus led another invasion of Attica. Rather than immediately devastating the countryside, he strategically positioned his forces at Acharnae, a deme (district) just north of Athens, hoping to provoke the Athenians into abandoning Pericles's defensive strategy. The passage reveals the psychological warfare Archidamus employed and the intense pressure Pericles faced from his own citizens, particularly the Acharnians whose lands were being destroyed. This moment represents a critical test of Pericles's strategy of avoiding land battles while relying on Athens's naval supremacy and allowing the population to shelter within the city walls.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Acharnae
Acharnae was the largest Athenian deme, located about seven miles north of Athens. It contributed 3,000 hoplites to Athens's forces, making it politically and militarily significant. The Acharnians were known for their fierce independence and later became the subject of Aristophanes's comedy 'The Acharnians.'
Learn more →Periclean Strategy
Pericles's defensive strategy involved abandoning the Attic countryside to Spartan devastation while the population took refuge within Athens's walls. Athens would rely on its navy for supplies and offensive operations. This strategy required enormous psychological discipline from citizens watching their lands destroyed.
Learn more →Pleistoanax's Invasion
In 446 BCE, the Spartan king Pleistoanax invaded Attica but withdrew mysteriously after reaching Eleusis. He was subsequently exiled from Sparta on suspicion of accepting bribes from Pericles. This precedent gave Athenians false hope that the current invasion might similarly halt.
Learn more →Athenian Democracy and War
This passage illustrates the tension between democratic decision-making and military strategy. While Pericles held the position of strategos (general), he still faced intense public pressure and criticism, showing the limits of individual authority even for Athens's most influential leader during wartime.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Pericles (33-34)
Plutarch describes the same invasion and the intense criticism Pericles faced, adding personal details about how Pericles maintained his composure despite being 'assailed with evil words' and called a coward.
Read passage →Aristophanes: The Acharnians (Lines 1-40)
Though a comedy, Aristophanes's play features an Acharnian protagonist who makes a private peace with Sparta, reflecting the particular suffering and war-weariness of this deme whose lands were repeatedly devastated.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (12.42)
Provides a parallel account of the early years of the Peloponnesian War, including the Spartan invasions of Attica, though with less detail about the psychological dimensions of the conflict.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Archidamus's psychological warfare strategy reveal sophisticated understanding of democratic politics? What does this suggest about Spartan intelligence regarding their enemy?
- Why might the younger Athenians have been more eager for battle than the older generation? How does generational memory of war affect strategic decision-making?
- What role did the oracle-mongers play in this crisis? How does Thucydides's mention of them reflect his views on rational versus irrational decision-making?
- Is Pericles's strategy morally defensible if it requires sacrificing the property of citizens like the Acharnians for the greater good? How does this reflect tensions in democratic leadership?