Casting Through Ancient Greece

Sparta had defeated Athens at the battle of Tanagra in 457 BC, though both armies had taken heavy losses. Both would look to make a temporary truce so that they could regroup without the fear of being attacked while in a vulnerable position. This would see the forces of both Athens and Sparta return to their cities bringing a close to this campaign. However, this would not be the end of hostilities and campaigning for the first Peloponnesian war.

Just 62 days after Tanagra, Athens would launch a fresh attack into Boeotian lands where Sparta had been active, with a possible agreement with Thebes. Sparta would remain within their home territory which would see Athens facing Theban and other Boeotian troops during this new campaign. Athens would win a major victory while also taking many cities, which would see them gain much control and influence within Boeotia.

This would not be the only campaign launched. A naval campaign would also be arranged which would seem to further Athenian trade connections. There was also an element of gaining some revenge for Tanagra, where Athens would ravage a Spartan port. However, it would appear the main objective would be to establish and secure Athenian trade connections to the west through the Corinthian gulf, dominated by many Peloponnesian league members.

These campaigns that would unfold and continue through the next couple of years would see Athen’s influence within the Greek mainland increases to new heights. Though, news of the disastrous Egyptian campaign would arrive, seeing Athens having to direct its attention to defending its interests within the Delian league as well as counter the threat of possible hostile Persian moves within the Aegean.

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Athens was engaging in developing new alliances on the Greek mainland in response to the hostility with Sparta. This would also see a number of campaigns launched by the Athenians to establish their security, these being fought by Sparta’s allies. However, as these events on the mainland were unfolding, a plea for help from a rebel king in Egypt would arrive requesting Athenian assistance in fighting the Persians.

In 465 BC Xerxes would be assassinated bringing his 21-year rule to an end. This would see his son Artaxerxes come to the throne, though, under suspicious circumstances. The coming to the throne of a new king was usually a period that would see regions attempt to breakaway from the empire. Artaxerxes accession would be no exception, seeing Egypt breakout in revolt, led by a Libyan king named Inaros. It would be he who would request the Athenians come and assist them in their bid for freedom.

Athens would sail for Egypt and link up with the rebels in the Nile delta, while a Persian army was dispatched to put the revolt down. An initial battle would see the rebel forces rout the Persians, who would seek refuge at Memphis. A siege would now develop as the Athenians and Egyptians attempted to destroy the rest of the Persian forces. This would not be the end of the campaign, with Persia assembling a new army after Persian gold would not entice the Spartans in attacking the Athenians homeland.

The appearance of this new Persian force in Egypt would now start to see Athens and the rebels fortune change. The siege of Memphis would be broken, the Persians defeating the besieges, this seeing Athens fallback into the Nile delta where they themselves would now be besieged. The majority of the Egyptian rebels would surrender to the Persians, while the Athenian force would be all but destroyed. This seeing the largest disaster suffered by Athens in generations. 

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This is a teaser of the bonus episode, Lycurgus, Spartan Lawgiver, found over on Patreon.

Plutarch would say of Lycurgus;

"Concerning Lycurgus the lawgiver, in general, nothing can be said which is not disputed, since indeed there are different accounts of his birth, his travels, his death, and above all, of his work as lawmaker and statesman"

He would then follow up with;

"...although the history of these times is such a maze, I shall try, in presenting my narrative, to follow those authors who are least contradicted, or who have the most notable witnesses for what they have written about the man."

It is with Plutarch that we lean very heavily on to draw out the reported life of Lycurgus and how he would come to introduce many of the laws and institutions within Sparta that made them so famous in the pages of history. Though, we also look to the notion that his historicity may not be as what it seems, with there being perhaps a closer connection to Delphi and the god Apollo.

If you would like to hear more and support the series click on the Patreon link at the bottom of the page or you can head to my website to discover other ways to support the series, Here

New bonus episodes come out in the first week of every month, 

With the insult received at the hands of the Spartans during the helot revolt, the Athenians began setting a course to deal with the new geopolitical realities. They would first sever their connection to Sparta by dissolving their membership in the Hellenic league. This would then be followed by securing alliances with enemies of Sparta and cities that would secure Athen’s position from any attack coming from the Peloponnese.

Athens would also enact building projects that would assist in protecting Attica and Athens itself. This would be seen in the construction of a defensive wall extending from the city of Magara on the Corinthian isthmus. Further defensive walls would also be built in Attica, turning Athens into an island on the mainland. These would be known as Athens long walls and would connect the city to its ports.

Enviably, with these shits in alliances and activities, regional conflicts would begin developing. Athens would be engaged with one of Sparta’s biggest allies, Corinth, where battles would break out on the Peloponnese, off the coast and on the isthmus itself. This period would see Athens stretched thin, as she would not only be engaged in Greece, but overseas campaigns would also continue during this period.

Finally, After Athens manoeuvrings on the mainland, Sparta would not stand by idle and would react. This would see a Spartan led campaign develop north of Attica in Boeotia, its motivations and objectives would be somewhat unclear in the sources. Though, this Spartan action would see Athens respond and march out to meet the Spartan force. This would see these past Hellenic league members face one another at the battle of Tanagra.

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Events during the 460’s would see the political sands in Athens begin to shift, with opposition to Cimon’s influence increasing in the sources. This would first come through charges of corruption at the conclusion of the Thasos campaign. While a more successful attempt would take place with Sparta’s rejection of Athenian assistance during the helot revolt, assistance Cimon had supported sending.

This would see the emergence on the pages of Athenian history, two new influential political figures. Ephialtes and Pericles would mount a similar opposition to Cimon’s policies as Themistocles some ten years earlier. Ephialtes would appear to head this opposition while Pericles, the son of Xanthippus would be his junior.

They would be successful in shifting public support away from Cimon, while also managing to have him ostracized. This would see Cimon removed from Athenian politics for the next 10 years, allowing the policies of Ephialtes, Pericles and their supporters to now dominate the political institutions within Athens.

The changes that would develop in Athens would open the way for a more direct form of democracy to develop. This would see the aristocratic institution of the Areopagus attacked and its powers severally reduced in favour of the council of 500 and the assembly. This would give more say over affairs in Athens to a broader range of classes. However not all would be pleased with these developments as Ephialtes would become a victim of political violence.     

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This is a teaser of the bonus episode, The Mythic Origins of Athens, found over on Patreon.

We now turn to focus on the origins and development of Athens through what is found in Myth. This will see us encountering a time when the mortal world and the divine interacted. Here two of the Olympian gods would compete to become the Patreon god of what would become Athens. We will then look at how the developments of Athens would be explained once the city had been established, which would focus on the stories revolving around the hero Theseus.

If you would like to hear more and support the series click on the Patreon link at the bottom of the page or you can head to my website to discover other ways to support the series, Here

New bonus episodes come out in the first week of every month, 

In 464 BC, Poseidon the earth shaker would rock the Peloponnese, seeing Sparta take the full force of the earthquake. A number of the ancient sources would record the terrible event and the scale of destruction and suffering experienced by the Spartans. Modern day studies would show that the what Sparta experienced was likely on the same scale as the earth quake that struck Haiti in 2021 of our time.

The impact to Sparta was great enough that their Helot class would view their masters as vulnerable. Areas would arrange themselves in a rebellion and revolt would breakout through the region of Messenia. The revolt would be organised on a scale that would see Sparta look to its allies in the Peloponnesian and Hellenic league for assistance.

A number of city states would answer their call, including that of Athens, the polis they had only a year earlier agreed to attack in a secret agreement with Thasos. Though, the shifting sands of Spartan politics would see them advise the Athenians once arriving that their assistance was no longer required. Only Athens was extended this disrespect of all who came to assist, with Sparta’s suspicions bubbling to the surface once again.

This would mark a point in Spartan – Athenian relations where open hostility would begin to be displayed. New alliances would be formed to match this reality, while back in Athens this event would see the political landscape change. New political figures were now emerging and an effective opposition along with recent events was now beginning to see Cimon’s popularity decrease.   

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After the Delian Leagues victory over the Persian forces at the Eurymedon River, campaigning would continue with it appearing other areas closer to the Greek mainland being the focus. Though, the Island of Thasos, an original Delian league member would now also revolt from the league, seeing Athens and the leagues attention being refocused to deal with this developing threat.

We are told that the revolt would come about due to economic reasons, with Athenian influence now also extending into areas Thasos had control in. This would see the full force of Athens navy and by extension the Delian league directed at the island in the Northern Aegean. Thasos would be laid siege to and would now attempt to seek assistance from outside of the Delian league.

Here we can perhaps see the path to conflict between Athens and Sparta, since Sparta would be the city Thasos would turn to. Sparta, with it seeming the war party had now gained more influence within Spartan politics, in turn would secretly agree to attack Athenian territory to try and relive the siege directed at the island. This being the first overtly hostile action we hear of being contemplated.

Though, Poseidon, the earth shaker would see to it that the attack would not take place. A great and terrible earthquake would rock the Peloponnese seeing many cities including Sparta devastated. This would create further issues for Sparta to deal with, while the path to conflict between Athens and Sparta would be further laid as the consequences from this event unfolded.   

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With the victory over the Persian invasions in 479 BC, the Greeks had continued operations in the Aegean against Persian controlled areas. Though, objectives and priorities of many of the city states had shifted with this common threat ejected from Greek lands. This would see yet another league formed, that of the Delian league, who would continue campaigning throughout the Aegean. 

While these campaigns continued on for the next 10 years, political developments within the Greek mainland would evolve with the new reality. The Persian threat had united the many Greek city states, putting their suspicions and interests in the background. Now though, what had united them had been defeated and these interests and suspicions would once again come to the forefront.

Both Athens and Sparta would now attempt to establish a policy that would suit their cities in the post war period. Though, both polies would have a number of paths open to them with different factions within their political systems competing for their preferred path. As events unfolded over the next decade both city states would eventually settle on a policy.

This period would see the hero of Salamis, Themistocles ostracised, freeing the way for his opponents in Athens. While Sparta would be contending with regions on the Peloponnese growing in influence with the rise of democratic factions within them. This forcing them to bring their focus back closer back to their home region. Though, these developments would be seen to be connected as the various factions manoeuvred for political advantage. 

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This is a teaser of the bonus episode, Return of the Heracleidae found over on Patreon.

The return of the Heracleidae would be a story the Dorian Spartans told themselves pointing to their legitimate rule over the lands they occupied. It would form the basis of their founding myth, connecting their existence back to the hero Heracles. The children of Heracles would be exiled from the Peloponnese after the heroes death. Though, the following generations would attempt to regain control of lands they saw as being rightfully theirs, as it had been Zeus' intention that Heracles was to have become a great king there, before being tricked by his wife Hera.

If you would like to hear more and support the series click on the Patreon link at the bottom of the page or you can head to my website to discover other ways to support the series, Here

New bonus episodes and series updates come out in the first week of every month,