Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4rdrl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-20T09:24:27.253Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2009

Darien Shanske
Affiliation:
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
Get access

Summary

Restoring the Wonder of Thucydides

In 411 b.c., the city of Chios revolted from the Athenian Empire. In the midst of narrating this revolt, Thucydides states the following:

After this [battle], the Chians [now under siege] no longer came out against [the Athenians], though the Athenians ravaged their land, their land being well stocked and untouched from the time of the Persian wars until now. For, next to the Spartans, I have observed only the Chians being both fortunate and moderate, and to the extent that their polis prospered, to that extent they ordered [their polis] more securely. And even as regards this revolt, [for people] might think they did it contrary to the safer path, but they did not dare to do it until they would be putting themselves in danger with many good allies and observing that, after the disaster in Sicily, not even the Athenians themselves denied any longer that their affairs were entirely and certainly desperate. And if [the Chians] were overthrown by that which is unexpected in human life, they held the opinion that was in error with many others who thought the same things, that the [power] of Athens would be quickly and utterly destroyed.

This does not appear to be a very remarkable passage in any sense. Both the facts, such as that the Chians were completely under siege despite their initial strength, and the analysis, namely, that Athens's resilience was surprising, seem fairly simple.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

  • Introduction
  • Darien Shanske
  • Book: Thucydides and the Philosophical Origins of History
  • Online publication: 19 August 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511497834.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Introduction
  • Darien Shanske
  • Book: Thucydides and the Philosophical Origins of History
  • Online publication: 19 August 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511497834.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • Darien Shanske
  • Book: Thucydides and the Philosophical Origins of History
  • Online publication: 19 August 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511497834.001
Available formats
×