Short essay from Introduce to phycology

A ncie n t H is to ry S ourc eb ook:

Thucyd id es: O n T he E arly H is to ry o f t h e H elle n es ( w rit te n c . 3 95 B CE) le g acy.f o rd ham .e d u /H als a ll/ a ncie nt/th uc-h elle nes.a sp The c o untr y w hic h is n ow c a lle d H ella s w as n ot r e gula rly s e ttle d in a ncie nt tim es. T he people were m ig ra to ry , a nd r e adily le ft th eir h om es w heneve r th ey w ere o ve rp ow ere d b y num bers .

There w as n o c o m merc e , a nd th ey c o uld n ot s a fe ly h old in te rc o urs e w it h o ne anoth er e it h er b y la nd o r s e a. T he s e ve ra l tr ib es c u lt iv a te d th eir o w n s o il ju st e nough to obta in a m ain te nance fr o m it . B ut th ey h ad n o a ccu m ula tio n o f w ealt h , a nd d id n ot p la nt th e g ro und; fo r, b ein g w it h out walls , th ey w ere n eve r s u re th at a n in va ded m ig ht n ot c o m e and d esp oil th em . L iv in g in th is manner a nd k n ow in g th at th ey c o uld a nyw here o bta in a b are su bsis te nce , th ey w ere a lw ays re ady to m ig ra te ; s o th at th ey h ad n eit h er g re at c it ie s n or any c o nsid era ble r e so urc e s. T he ric h est d is tr ic ts w ere m ost c o nsta ntly c h angin g th eir in habit a nts ; fo r e xa m ple , th e c o untr ie s whic h a re n ow c a lle d T hessa ly a nd B oeotia , th e gre ate r p art o f th e P elo ponnesu s w it h th e exce ptio n o f A rc a dia , a nd a ll th e b est p arts o f Hella s. F or th e p ro ductiv e ness o f th e la nd in cre ase d th e p ow er o f in div id uals ; th is in tu rn w as a s o urc e o f q uarre ls b y w hic h c o m munit ie s were r u in ed, w hile a t th e s a m e tim e th ey w ere m ore e xp ose d to a tta cks fr o m w it h out. C erta in ly Attic a , o f w hic h th e s o il w as poor a nd th in , e njo ye d a lo ng fr e edom fr o m c iv il s tr if e , a nd th ere fo re r e ta in ed it s orig in al in habit a nts [th e P ela sg ia ns].

The fe eble ness o f a ntiq uit y is fu rth er p ro ve d to m e b y th e c ir c u m sta nce th at th ere appears to have b een n o c o m mon a ctio n in H ella s b efo re th e T ro ja n W ar. A nd I a m in clin ed to th in k th at th e v e ry n am e w as n ot a s y e t g iv e n to th e w hole c o untr y , a nd in fa ct d id n ot exis t a t a ll b efo re th e tim e o f H elle n, th e s o n o f D euca lio n; th e d if fe re nt tr ib es, o f whic h th e P ela sg ia n w as th e most w id ely s p re ad, g ave th eir o w n n am es to d if fe re nt dis tr ic ts . B ut w hen H elle n a nd h is s o ns beca m e p ow erfu l in P hth io tis , th eir a id w as in vo ke d b y o th er c it ie s, a nd th ose w ho a sso cia te d wit h th em g ra dually b egan to b e c a lle d Helle nes , th ough a lo ng tim e e la pse d b efo re th e n am e was p re va le nt o ve r th e w hole c o untr y . O f th is , Hom er a ffo rd s th e b est e vid ence ; fo r h e, alt h ough h e liv e d lo ng a fte r th e T ro ja n W ar, now here u se s th is n am e c o lle ctiv e ly , b ut c o nfin es it to th e fo llo w ers o f A ch ille s fr o m Phth io tis , w ho w ere th e o rig in al H elle nes; w hen s p eakin g o f th e e ntir e h ost, h e c a lls th em Danäans, o r A rg iv e s, o r A ch aeans.

And th e fir s t p ers o n k n ow n to u s b y tr a dit io n a s h avin g e sta blis h ed a n avy is M in os. H e made him se lf m aste r o f w hat is n ow c a lle d th e A egean s e a, a nd r u le d o ve r th e C ycla des, in to m ost o f whic h h e s e nt th e fir s t c o lo nie s, e xp ellin g th e C aria ns a nd a ppoin tin g h is ow n s o ns g ove rn ors ; and th us d id h is b est to p ut d ow n p ir a cy in th ose w ate rs , a n ece ssa ry ste p to s e cu re th e re ve nues fo r h is o w n u se . F or in e arly tim es th e H elle nes a nd th e barb aria ns o f th e c o ast a nd is la nds, a s c o m munic a tio n b y s e a b eca m e m ore c o m mon, w ere te m pte d to tu rn p ir a te s, u nder th e c o nduct o f th eir m ost p ow erfu l m en; th e m otiv e s b ein g to s e rv e th eir o w n c u pid it y a nd to su pport th e n eedy. T hey w ould fa ll u pon th e u nw alle d and s tr a gglin g to w ns, o r r a th er v illa ges, whic h th ey p lu ndere d, a nd m ain ta in ed th em se lv e s by th e p lu nder o f th em ; fo r, a s y e t, s u ch a n occu patio n w as h eld to b e h onora lb e a nd n ot dis g ra ce fu l. . . .T he la nd, to o, w as in fe ste d b y ro bbers ; a nd th ere a re p arts o f H ella s in whic h th e o ld p ra ctic e s c o ntin ue, a s fo r e xa m ple am ong th e O zo lia n L ocria ns, A eto lia ns, Aca rn ania ns, a nd th e a dja ce nt r e gio ns o f th e co ntin ent. T he fa sh io n o f w earin g a rm s a m ong th ese c o ntin enta l tr ib es is a r e lic o f th eir o ld pre dato ry h abit s .

1/3 For in a ncie nt tim es a ll H elle nes c a rrie d w eapons b eca use th eir h om es w ere u ndefe nded and in te rc o urs e w as u nsa fe ; lik e th e b arb aria ns th ey w ent a rm ed in th eir e ve ry d ay lif e . .

. T he Ath enia ns w ere th e fir s t w ho la id a sid e a rm s a nd a dopte d a n e asie r a nd m ore lu xu rio us w ay o f lif e . Q uit e r e ce ntly th e o ld -fa sh io ned r e fin em ent o f d re ss s till lin gere d am ong th e e ld er m en o f th eir r ic h er c la ss, w ho w ore u nderg arm ents o f lin en, a nd b ound b ack th eir h air in a k n ot w it h gold en c la sp s in th e fo rm o f g ra ssh oppers ; a nd th e s a m e c u sto m s lo ng s u rv iv e d a m ong th e eld ers o f Io nia , h avin g b een d eriv e d fr o m th eir A th enia n ance sto rs . O n th e o th er h and, th e sim ple d re ss w hic h is n ow c o m mon w as fir s t w orn a t Sparta ; a nd th ere , m ore th an a nyw here els e , th e lif e o f th e r ic h w as a ssim ila te d to th at of th e p eople .

Wit h r e sp ect to th eir to w ns, la te r o n, a t a n e ra o f in cre ase d fa cilit ie s o f n avig atio n and a g re ate r su pply o f c a pit a l, w e fin d th e s h ore s b eco m in g th e s it e o f w alle d to w ns, a nd th e is th m use s bein g o ccu pie d fo r th e p urp ose s o f c o m merc e a nd d efe nse a gain st a n eig hbor. But th e o ld to w ns, o n a cco unt o f th e g re at p re va le nce o f p ir a cy, w ere b uilt a w ay fr o m th e se a, w heth er o n th e is la nds o r th e c o ntin ent, a nd s till r e m ain in th eir o ld s it e s. B ut a s so on a s M in os h ad fo rm ed his n avy, c o m munic a tio n b y s e a b eca m e e asie r, a s h e c o lo niz e d most o f th e is la nds, a nd th us exp elle d th e m ale fa cto rs . T he c o ast p opula tio n n ow b egan to apply th em se lv e s m ore c lo se ly to th e a cq uis it io n o f w ealt h , a nd th eir lif e b eca m e m ore se ttle d; s o m e e ve n b egan to b uild th em se lv e s w alls o n th e s tr e ngth o f th eir n ew ly a cq uir e d ric h es. A nd it w as a t a s o m ew hat la te r s ta ge o f th is d eve lo pm ent th at th ey w ent o n th e exp edit io n a gain st T ro y.

What e nable d A gam em non to r a is e th e a rm am ent w as m ore , in m y o pin io n, h is s u perio rit y in str e ngth , th an th e o ath s o f T yn dare us, w hic h b ound th e s u it o rs to fo llo w h im . In deed, th e acco unt g iv e n b y th ose P elo ponnesia ns w ho h ave b een th e r e cip ie nts o f th e m ost cre dib le tr a dit io n is th is . F ir s t o f a ll P elo ps, a rriv in g a m ong a n eedy p opula tio n fr o m Asia w it h v a st wealt h , a cq uir e d s u ch p ow er th at, s tr a nger th ough h e w as, th e c o untr y w as ca lle d a fte r h im ; and th is p ow er fo rtu ne s a w fit m ate ria lly to in cre ase in th e h ands o f his d esce ndants .

Eury sth eus h ad b een k ille d in A ttic a b y th e H era clid s. A tr e us w as h is moth er's b ro th er; a nd to th e h ands o f h is r e la tio n, w ho h ad le ft h is fa th er o n a cco unt o f th e d eath o f C hry sip pus, Eury sth eus, w hen h e s e t o ut o n h is e xp edit io n, h ad c o m mit te d Myce nae a nd th e g ove rn m ent.

As tim e w ent o n a nd E ury sth eus d id n ot r e tu rn , A tr e us c o m plie d wit h th e w is h es o f th e Myce naeans, w ho w ere in flu ence d b y fe ar o f th e H era clid s---b esid es, his p ow er s e em ed co nsid era ble , a nd h e h ad n ot n egle cte d to c o urt th e fa vo r o f th e popula ce ---a nd a ssu m ed th e sce pte r o f M yce nae a nd th e r e st o f th e d om in io ns o f E ury sth eus.

And s o th e p ow er o f th e desce ndants o f P elo ps c a m e to b e g re ate r th an th at o f th e desce ndants o f P ers e us.

To a ll th is A gam em non s u cce eded. H e h ad a ls o a n avy fa r s tr o nger th an h is co nte m pora rie s, so th at, in m y o pin io n, fe ar w as q uit e a s s tr o ng a n e le m ent a s lo ve in th e fo rm atio n o f th e co nfe dera te e xp edit io n. T he s tr e ngth o f h is n avy is s h ow n b y th e fa ct th at h is o w n w as th e la rg est c o ntin gent, a nd th at o f th e A rc a dia ns w as fu rn is h ed b y h im ; th is a t le ast is w hat H om er sa ys, if h is te stim ony is d eem ed s u ffic ie nt. N ow A gam em non's was a c o ntin enta l p ow er; a nd he c o uld n ot h ave b een m aste r o f a ny e xce pt th e a dja ce nt is la nds ( a nd th ese w ould n ot b e many), b ut th ro ugh th e p osse ssio n o f a fle et. A nd fr o m th is e xp edit io n w e m ay in fe r th e ch ara cte r o f e arlie r e nte rp ris e s. H om er h as r e pre se nte d it a s c o nsis tin g o f tw elv e h undre d ve sse ls ; th e B oeotia n c o m ple m ent o f e ach s h ip b ein g a hundre d a nd tw enty m en, th at o f th e sh ip s o f P hilo cte te s fif ty . T hat th ey w ere a ll r o w ers as w ell a s w arrio rs w e s e e fr o m h is a cco unt of th e s h ip s o f P hilo cte te s, in w hic h a ll th e men a t th e o ar a re b ow m en. . .

Eve n a fte r th e T ro ja n W ar, H ella s w as s till e ngaged in r e m ovin g a nd s e ttlin g, a nd th us co uld not a tta in to th e q uie t w hic h m ust p re ce de g ro w th . T he la te r e tu rn o f th e H elle nes fr o m Iliu m ca use d m any r e vo lu tio ns, a nd fa ctio ns e nsu ed a lm ost e ve ry w here ; a nd it w as th e cit iz e ns th us driv e n in to e xile w ho fo unded th e c it ie s. S ix ty y e ars a fte r th e c a ptu re o f Iliu m , th e m odern Boeotia ns w ere d riv e n o ut o f A rn e b y th e T hessa lia ns, a nd s e ttle d in th e pre se nt B oeotia , th e fo rm er C adm eis ; th ough th ere w as a d iv is io n o f th em th ere b efo re , so m e o f w hom jo in ed th e exp edit io n to Iliu m . T w enty y e ars la te r, th e D oria ns a nd th e Hera clid s b eca m e m aste rs o f Pelo ponnese ; s o th at m uch h ad to b e d one a nd m any y e ars h ad to ela pse b efo re H ella s c o uld atta in to a d ura ble tr a nquillit y u ndis tu rb ed b y r e m ova ls , a nd co uld b egin to s e nd o ut c o lo nie s, as A th ens d id to Io nia a nd m ost o f th e is la nds, a nd th e Pelo ponnesia ns to m ost o f Ita ly a nd Sic ily a nd s o m e p la ce s in th e r e st o f H ella s. A ll th ese p la ce s w ere fo unded s u bse quently to th e war w it h T ro y.

2/3 But a s th e p ow er o f H ella s g re w , a nd th e a cq uis it io n o f w ealt h b eca m e m ore a n o bje ct, th e re ve nues o f th e s ta te s in cre asin g, ty ra nnie s w ere b y th eir m eans e sta blis h ed a lm ost eve ry w here ---th e o ld fo rm o f g ove rn m ent b ein g h ere dit a ry m onarc h y w it h d efin it e pre ro gativ e s---a nd H ella s b egan to fit o ut fle ets a nd a pply h ers e lf m ore c lo se ly to th e se a. It is sa id th at th e C orin th ia ns w ere th e fir s t to a ppro ach th e m odern s ty le o f n ava l arc h it e ctu re , a nd th at C orin th w as th e fir s t p la ce in H ella s w here g alle ys w ere built ....T hey w ere th e m eans b y whic h th e is la nds w ere r e ach ed a nd r e duce d, th ose o f th e sm alle st a re a fa llin g th e e asie st pre y. W ars b y la nd th ere w ere n one, n one a t le ast b y whic h p ow er w as a cq uir e d; w e h ave th e usu al b ord er c o nte sts , b ut o f d is ta nt e xp edit io ns wit h c o nquest fo r o bje ct w e h ear n oth in g am ong th e H elle nes. T here w as n o u nio n o f s u bje ct cit ie s r o und a g re at s ta te , n o s p onta neous co m bin atio n o f e quals fo r c o nfe dera te exp edit io ns; w hat fig htin g th ere w as c o nsis te d m ere ly o f lo ca l w arfa re b etw een r iv a l neig hbors ....V ario us, to o, w ere th e o bsta cle s w hic h th e n atio nal gro w th e nco unte re d in va rio us lo ca lit ie s. T he p ow er o f th e Io nia ns w as a dva ncin g w it h r a pid str id es, w hen it ca m e in to c o llis io n w it h P ers ia , u nder K in g C yru s, w ho, a fte r h avin g d eth ro ned Cro esu s o f Lyd ia a nd o ve rru n e ve ry th in g b etw een th e H aly s a nd th e s e a, s to pped n ot till h e had re duce d th e c it ie s o f th e c o ast; th e is la nds b ein g o nly le ft to b e s u bdued b y D ariu s a nd th e Phoenic ia n n avy.

Sourc e :

Fro m :T hucyd id es, The H is to ry o f th e P elo ponnesia n W ar , Benja m in J o w ett, tr a ns., ( N ew Y ork :

Dutto ns, 1 884), p p. 1 1 -2 3, S ectio ns 1 .2 -1 7.

Sca nned b y: J . S . A rk e nberg , D ept. o f H is to ry , C al. S ta te F ulle rto n. P ro f. A rk e nberg has modern iz e d th e te xt.

This te xt is p art o f th e In te rn et Ancie nt H is to ry S ourc e book . T he S ourc e book is a c o lle ctio n o f public d om ain a nd co py-p erm it te d te xts r e la te d to m edie va l a nd B yza ntin e h is to ry .

Unle ss o th erw is e in dic a te d th e s p ecif ic e le ctr o nic fo rm o f th e d ocu m ent is c o pyrig ht.

Perm is sio n is g ra nte d fo r e le ctr o nic c o pyin g, d is tr ib utio n in p rin t fo rm fo r e duca tio nal purp ose s and p ers o nal u se . N o r e pre se nta tio n is m ade a bout te xts w hic h a re lin ke d off- s it e , a lt h ough in most c a se s th ese a re a ls o p ublic d om ain . If y o u d o r e duplic a te th e docu m ent, in dic a te th e so urc e . N o p erm is sio n is g ra nte d fo r c o m merc ia l u se .