AMPHIPOLIS SURRENDERS TO BRASIDAS
Amphipolis belonged to the Athenians, who had sent Thucydides and
Eucles to guard the city lest it should be attacked by the Spartans.
Thucydides had not only the city but a large district also to protect,
and he was at this time stationed with his troops at some distance from
Amphipolis, while Eucles was in the city itself.
The bridge over the Strymon, which led to the city, was carelessly
guarded. So when, on a cold and wintry day, Brasidas reached the
river, he took the bridge without difficulty, making prisoners the few
soldiers who held it.
Messengers were at once sent to Thucydides to tell him that the
Spartans had seized the bridge, and to beg him to come as quickly as
possible to protect the city. Before the day was over, Thucydides had
reached Eion, at the mouth of the Strymon. But his speed was of no
avail, for Amphipolis had already surrendered, tempted by the easy
terms that Brasidas had offered.
When the Athenians heard that the city was lost, they were indignant
with Thucydides, and chiefly through the influence of Cleon, who
disliked him, he was sent into exile.
The punishment was severe, but Thucydides was not idle during his
banishment. He travelled from place to place, and everywhere he went
he paid great attention to the ways of the people and to the manner
in which their cities were governed. He himself wrote, ‘Associating
with both sides, with the Peloponnesians quite as much as with the
Athenians, because of my exile, I was thus enabled to watch quietly the
course of events.’
After having studied the ‘course of events,’ Thucydides began to write
about the Peloponnesian war, and he became the greatest of all the
historians of Greece.
After the surrender of Amphipolis in 424 B.C., city after city forsook
its allegiance to Athens. Scione did not even wait for the Spartans
to demand admission, they opened their gates and begged Brasidas to
enter. His presence pleased the people well, and when he had spoken to
them their enthusiasm knew no bounds. They sent for a crown of gold
and placed it on his head, calling him the ‘liberator of Hellas.’ Many
of the people, too, cast garlands over him as they were used to do to
victors at a race.
Until now Brasidas had fought loyally for the sake of his country, but
after the crown of gold had rested on his head he grew more ambitious
to win fame for himself than glory for his country. It was his ambition
that made him now do all that he could to keep Sparta from making peace
with Athens, as she wished to do.
Cleon, too, was eager that the war should continue, not in order to win
renown for himself, but rather that Athens might regain the empire that
Brasidas was snatching from her grasp.
Two years after the surrender of Amphipolis, Cleon urged the Athenians
to make an effort to retake the city. His rough eloquence persuaded
them to undertake the task. He was himself appointed general, and was
sent to Thrace at the head of a large army.
As he marched through the country he took several towns before he
reached Eion, at the mouth of the river Strymon.
Here he halted, meaning to wait for reinforcements. But his soldiers
had little respect for their general. Was he not after all only a
leather-merchant? What could he know about war? And they clamoured to
be led at once against the enemy. Cleon did not dare to refuse to do
as his army wished, and he ordered his whole force to march toward
Amphipolis to find out the strength of the enemy.
Brasidas was encamped with his army on the top of a hill, near to the
city, from which he could watch every movement of the enemy.
When he saw the Athenians approaching, he ordered his men to march into
the town where the Spartan Clearidas was now governor.
Cleon at once supposed that Brasidas had taken shelter within the walls
of Amphipolis so as to avoid a battle. Feeling no longer anxious, he
left his army near the city, but not drawn up ready for battle, and
himself rode carelessly forward to look at the surrounding country.
Meanwhile some Athenian soldiers heard the restless movement of men and
horses within the walls, others looking under the gates saw many feet
gathering together. It was clear that preparations were being made by
the Spartans to sally out and attack them.
A messenger was sent in haste to find Cleon. The general no sooner
heard the report than he hurried back to his army, and commanded it at
once to retreat toward Eion. To do this the Athenians had to march past
Amphipolis with their right sides unprotected, for their shields were
carried always on their left arm, which was now the farthest from the
walls of the city.
The men had no confidence in their general, and they began to retreat
in disorder. From within the city, Brasidas was watching with keen eyes
the movements of the enemy. Suddenly he cried, ‘These men will never
withstand our onset. Look at their quivering spears and nodding heads.
Men who are going to fight never march in such a fashion as this. Open
the gates at once that I may rush on them forthwith.’
So the gates of the city were flung open and out dashed Brasidas
followed by his men, as he charged right into the centre of the
Athenian army. The left wing, seized with panic, fled. Clearidas
meanwhile led a body of men against the right wing, and a fierce
struggle followed.
Cleon, less at home on a battlefield than in the assembly at Athens,
grew frightened at the unusual sights and sounds, and fled, leaving his
army without a leader. As he fled an arrow pierced him and he fell to
the ground, wounded to death.
Brasidas also, as he turned to go to the help of Clearidas, was
wounded. His followers carried him within the walls of the city. He
lived long enough to know that the Athenians were utterly defeated.
The people of Amphipolis had learned to love Brasidas, and he was
buried with great splendour in the market-place. A temple was built to
his honour, and every year sacrifices were offered and games were held
in memory of the brave soldier.
So deep was the affection of the people that they determined to forget
that their city had been founded by an Athenian, and henceforth to
count Brasidas the Spartan the true founder of Amphipolis.
As Cleon and Brasidas were both dead, the peace party, with Nicias at
its head, was able to arrange terms with the king of Sparta, and in
spring, 421 B.C., the Peace of Nicias was signed. The first part of the
Peloponnesian War, which had begun ten years before, was ended.