Forwarding of Sicily

The forwarding of Sicily is an operation assembled by Athens in 415 to help the sicilian city of Ségeste against Sélinonte, supported by the Syracusains. The episode fits in the Peloponnesian War, conflict which opposes 431 to 404 Athens and the Ligue of Délos to Sparte and with the Ligue of the Peloponnese. Forwarding shows one cooking failure for Athens, which carries out in 411 to the oligarchical revolution of the Four hundred.

Context

With, Sicily undergoes the Hégémonie city of Syracuse, controlled by the dynasty of Deinoménides, resulting from the Tyran of Géla, Gélon. This one then his/her brother, Hiéron, remove Sicily from the external threats: thus, in 480, Gélon stops the expansion of Carthage to Himère while in 474, Hiéron overcomes the Etruscan fleet with Cumes - event sung by Pindare in its First Pythique (v. 72-74). The island knows a great prosperity related on the Agriculture and the development of the exchanges (cf economy of ancient Greece), but also on the spoils and the allowances paid by the Carthaginians (2000 talents). Syracuse is an important arts center, where the tyrants attract the poets Simonide de Céos, Bacchylide, Pindare or Eschyle.

However, in the years 471 with 461, tyrannies disappear with Agrigente, Géla, Himère, Syracuse and Zancle, and are replaced by democratic modes . These political changes inaugurate one era of instability for the Sicily: thus, the cities must fight against the neopolitai , of the Mercenaire S having received the citizenship of the tyrants. Then, they are confronted with the problem of the restitution of the confiscated goods. In Eastern Sicily, the Sicules ( Sikèles in Greek), native-born people, are raised, under the direction of one named Doukétios, and form a koinon (a federation).

With the weakening of Syracuse, the other cities try to take again their autonomy. In 427 already, Léontinoi took the head of a sling of small cities against Syracuse, and Athens answered their call by the first forwarding in Sicily. In 415, Ségeste is attacked by Sélinonte. The latter being supported by Syracuse, Ségeste asks for the assistance of the Athenians: she sends an embassy making gleam the occasion of a weakening of Syracuse, allied potential of Corinthe, her metropolis, and thus of the Ligue of the Peloponnese. She offers to pay all the forwarding costs and succeeds in misleading the Athenian envoys come to check the state of the city.

Forwarding

Decision making

In Athens, the opinion is divided between partisans of peace, carried out by the old man Nicias, and in favor of the intervention, carried out by Alcibiade and the young people. Skilfully, the disciple of Socrate makes gleam with the Athenians the richnesses of the Occident. The Parliament follows it and votes the sending in Sicily of 60 vessels, directed by Alcibiade itself, Nicias and Lamachos. At a second meeting of the Parliament, Nicias, wanting to discourage the Athenians, exaggerates the power of the adversaries of Ségeste, and only manages to increase the resources assigned to forwarding: on the whole, the Parliament votes the departure of 100 Trière S (including 40 transport of troops), 5000 Hoplite S (Athenians and allied), of the archers crétois and the slingers. She also votes the full powerss to the three Stratège S:

“with mission of helping Ségeste against Sélinonte, then, if they saw the war turning to their advantage, to restore Léontins and, more generally, as well as possible to restore the businesses of Sicily of what they would judge of the interest of Athens. ”
(Thucydide, VI, 8,2)

The recall of Alcibiade

In full preparations for forwarding, in the month of thargélion (May-June) occurs the scandal of the Hermocopides: the hermai (terminals decorating the crossroads) are found mutilated. Very quickly, the public opinion thinks of an oligarchical plot. A slave reveals, in addition to other mutilations, parodies of the Mystères of Éleusis. Alcibiade is splashed by the scandal. He claims a lawsuit then, not wishing to leave for Sicily without to be discharged previously. Its enemies, fearing to see the army giving an opinion in its favor, convince the Parliament to let it leave, given that he would be judged on his return.

The fleet thus leaves, under the command of three strategists having each one a different plan. Nicias, chief of one forwarding in which he does not believe, wishes to remain careful: according to him, a simple show of force in front of Sélinonte and Syracuse would be enough. Lamachos proposes to attack Syracuse as soon as possible, before it had time to prepare. Alcibiade, as for him, wants to make sure the support of the cities and the indigenous population before conquering Sicily as a whole, even Carthage. Lamachos joins with this option, which meets little success: the cities are wary of a forwarding of this importance.

Finally, the fleet seizes Catane, which must be used to him as a basis. As soon as this made, Alcibiade receives the order to regain Athens to answer of the charge of Sacrilège, crime punished of death. Being wary, Alcibiade prefers to flee, initially in Italy, then with Sparte. There, he advises with the Spartans to favorably answer at the request of assistance of Syracuse. He also suggests to them taking foot in Attique by taking the fortress of Décélie. After having been the craftsman of forwarding, Alcibiade becomes thus the person in charge of its failure.

Operations against Syracuse

In parallel, the Greek fleet took the wearing of Syracuse, but does not exploit its victory, and turns over to Catane. The strategist syracusain Hermocrate takes in hand the defense of the city, and makes reinforce the fortifications. At the beginning of 414, Nicias and Lamachos take the plate of the Épipoles, in overhang of the city. They start a work of fortifications on their side. Two counter-approaches syracusaines fail to prevent the Athenians from building a double wall around the city. Lamachos died during the engagements, leaving Nicias only main of forwarding. This one can be supplied easily from Italy, and Sikèles send three ships in support. Thucydide concludes thus that “all, finally, succeeded to them with wish” (VI, 103,2).

Arrival of Gylippe

At this point in time to Sicily the general Spartan Gylippe arrives, with four trières. He recruits in Sicily, in particular at Himère and of Sélinonte, and manages to infiltrate in Syracuse. He makes build a new against-approach which locks up the Athenians in the port. Nicias must require of the assistance to Athens, which sends to him Démosthène and Eurymédon, with 73 vessels, 5000 hoplites and of the light troops.

During this time, the Spartans continue their raids on the Attic, starting from Décélie, thus causing important economic damage with the Athenians. Gylippe, on its side, carries out a new round of recruitment in Sicily. Syracusains adapt their trières, tie left the experiment of the Corinthians in the Bataille of Naupacte: they make them more massive and adapt Bossoir S reinforced on the hulls, to support the shocks Proue against prow.

In 413, a decisive battle with place on Épipoles. The Athenians are beaten, and must think of the retirement. The excuses of Nicias, which fears the reactions of the Athenians on his return, make it possible Syracusains to be reinforced, and to prevent the fleet from leaving the roads. The naval battle in the port turns to the advantage of Syracusains, thanks to their reinforced davits. Even if the Athenians remain numerically more important, they are deeply demoralized: the crews refuse to take the sea.

The Athenian troops are then divided into two groups for the retirement by overland route. The body ordered by Démosthène is let encircle and goes, under the promise that no one would not be killed or famished. The body ordered by Nicias fails to cross the boxed bed of Assinaros: the army in full rout is massacred by the troops syracusaines posted on each bank. Demosthene and Nicias are carried out. The prisoners are locked up in the Latomies, of the careers where they are parked, almost without water nor food, exposed to the sun, without possibility of burying the corpses. One leaves there them 70 days, at the end which the survivors are sold like slaves.

The forwarding of Sicily is thus completed by a disaster for Athens: it lost nearly 200 ships and 50.000 men, including 12.000 Athenians. The catastrophe leads to the oligarchical revolution of 411 and to the establishment of the government of the Four hundred.

Sources

(XII, 34; XIII, 1-12);
( Alcibiade , XVII and suiv.);
(VI).

See too

Four hundred
Peloponnesian War
the Birds ( Ὄρνιθες / Órnithes ), is a part written by Aristophane in 414 which denounces this forwarding partly.

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