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• 1 media/Sphacteria.png 2016-07-08T10:31:03-07:00 What Happened on Sphakteria? 42 “Indeed, there was an occasion afterwards when an Athenian ally in order to insult one of the prisoners from the island asked him whether it was the ones who had fallen who were real Spartans. The reply was that ‘spindles’ – by which he meant arrows – would be worth a great deal if they could pick out brave men from cowards . . .” - Thucydides, 4.40 image_header 2016-09-25T08:40:49-07:00

  The Spartan Warrior Ethos and the Disaster on Sphakteria

  In the seventh year of the Peloponnesian War (425 BCE), an Athenian fleet landed on the west coast of the Peloponnese at place called Pylos. Under the leadership of the Athenian general Demosthenes, the Athenians garrisoned a small fort and although initially outnumbered by the Spartans, Demosthenes' troops maintained their positions. The Athenian occupation of Pylos threatened Spartan territory and consequently Sparta became concerned and increasingly nervous about the threat the occupation posed to Spartan control of Messenia. But as the Spartans began to increase their forces at Pylos, so too did the Athenians.
   

  • Map of Greece During the Peloponnesian War

  
  The narrative of the battle at Pylos and the capture of the Spartan Warriors is found in Thucydides (4.1-4.41). In this module you will begin in medias res by reading about the battle and Thucydides' representation of it. You do not need to be an expert on Sparta, Greek history or even Thucydides; instead, read the narrative and react to how Thucydides describes what happened.

  Helpful tips for Reading Primary Sources

  Listening to Leadership:

   ​Part 1: Teaching the Spartan ethos

  
  

   Part 2: Pylos

  • Extra-reading questions to consider for Thucydides

  • Brief History of the Peloponnesian War (link to Livius.org)

  Part 3: Problem of Spartan Leadership, track 1​

   Activity

  Continue to Step 2: Leonidas at the "Gates of Fire"

  Return to front page