Chapter 455: Iphicrates
In the southwest corner of the city of Athens, on a small hillside, was the place where the people of Athens built a magnificent council hall that could seat 500 people simultaneously to celebrate their dethronement of the tyrant – Peisistratos. The Acropolis was to its east, and next to it was once the famous Areopagus (Hill of Ares), a symbol of the transformation of the Athenians into becoming masters. After the Persians burned the city and the Athenian celebration of their victory in the Greco-Persian war, the people rebuilt it again, and it had become the famous Boule(council of 500)!
Compared to this magnificent building, the Athenian city hall next to it was so inconspicuous, but it is where the “10 Strategoi” elected yearly work.
Today, the Athenian council held a meeting and invited Isocrates to discuss the Battle of Corinth and the war in Magna Graecia.
The Polemarchos Thrasybulus began by speaking, “Everyone, Corinth has sent an envoy today asking us for reinforcements. Currently, the situation in Corinth is not wonderful. With the Spartans fierce attack, the Corinthians were somewhat unable to resist and made the pro-Spartan nobles in the city unbridled. They even proposed to make peace with Sparta at their council meeting and won the support of some people. The morale of the Corinthians to fight is weakening…”
“We must support Corinth! Otherwise, once Corinth fell to Sparta, the Spartans could break through the defensive line on Isthmus and force their way to reach the city of Athens. Currently, we still haven’t completed the repair on our great wall. Therefore, we must do our best not to let the dirty feet of the Spartans trample our port of Piraeus, which has just resumed trade, and the territory of Attica that has not yet recovered its vitality! And if we’re to lose the war again, Sparta would do more damage to Athens than the last time, and we could no longer afford such torture any longer!” Said Andocides, an orator, with a furious expression.
His words reminded everyone of the dark reign of the “Thirty Tyrants” a decade ago. Thus they said one after another, “Help Corinth now! Send more soldiers to support Corinth and block Sparta’s offensive!…”
“Blocking Sparta is still not enough. Since the war started, our allied army hasn’t even defeated the Spartans in the field even once. If this continues, it will only demoralise our army, and those city-states that hate Sparta and are still watching will also lose the courage to fight back. Therefore, we must defeat the Spartans in order to get the final victory!” A younger strategos said loudly.
“It is not that easy to defeat the Spartans on land, Iphicrates!” Conon, the loser of the Battle of Aegospotami, the victor of the Battle of Knidos and the navarch who returned to Athens, bringing back a large fleet, exclaimed, “If it was possible to defeat Sparta on land, together with our invincible navy, how could Sparta be so rampant to this day?!”
“Hence I would like to ask the council to allow me to lead the troops I trained to support Corinth, and I will do my best to defeat the Spartans!” Iphicrates said with decisiveness.
Thrasybulus stared at the hillbilly from the Attica region (the people born in Athens liked to call those who lived in the Attica region “hillbilly or bumpkins”). Thrasybulus knew that Iphicrates hated the Spartans because they had ravaged the Attica region during the Peloponnesian War and had been studying how to defeat the Spartan hoplites, “The troops you trained? Do you mean the nearly a thousand troops consisting of Thracian peltasts and the Cretan archers? Can these light infantry alone defeat the Spartans?!”
“We must admit that our soldiers cannot compete with the Spartans, who had trained since their childhood. Still, heavy infantries also have flaws; they move slowly and have trouble turning. So if we’re to let the agile moving light infantry throw javelins and shoot arrows at them from a distance, the heavy infantry would not be able to catch up with the light infantry and could only be beaten passively.” Iphicrates said confidently, “I am sure you have all heard of Davos, the archon of Theonia, and the one, the Magna Graecians, called ‘undefeated strategos’. He was a man who was good at using light infantry and had even formed the light infantry into separate brigades. In their second war with Crotone, he especially made full use of the light infantry to defeat the heavy infantry of Crotone, which ultimately led to the defeat of the Crotonians in the battle. Hence I am confident to use this light infantry team to defeat the Spartans!”
After listening, Thrasybulus looked at Conon.
Conon nodded and said loudly, “I think Iphicrates could defeat the Spartans!”
“I agree to send Iphicrates to Corinth.” Andocides also agreed.
“I have no objection.” The other strategoi also agreed. After all, when everyone was afraid of fighting the Spartans on land, there was a man who suddenly stood up and said with confidence, ‘I can defeat Sparta!’. And this confidence alone was enough to encourage everyone.
“I also agree.” Thrasybulus likewise voted in favour. He then added a reminder, “However, while you are leading your trained light infantry troops to Corinth, you should take our soldiers with you and have them engage in a frontal defence against Sparta so that the Corinthians won’t think that we are sly and not doing our best.”
“I understand. Thrasybulus, you are still the one to consider everything.” Iphicrates expressed his gratitude from the bottom of his heart while requesting, “Then I need an adjutant to lead our soldiers.”
Thrasybulus thought for a moment, looked back at Conon and said, “How about we send Timotheus?”
Timotheus was the eldest son of Conon. Although he was only in his twenties, he was already a very experienced strategos, especially in naval warfare due to his long years drifting with his father in Persia, helping him with military affairs and participating in battles. Conon knew that Thrasybulus’ proposal was helpful to enhance his son’s influence in Athens. After all, as he has stayed in Persia before, the citizens of Athens were unfamiliar with him. But at the same time, there was a significant risk in his life while he fought with Sparta.
But Conon replied without hesitation, “I agree.”
Most of them also agreed.
“In that case, I will propose to send reinforcements to Corinth to the council this afternoon, and it should be approved.” Thrasybulus made a decision, but his expression remained serious. He looked at everyone and said, “Iphicrates had just mentioned Theonia. Everyone should be aware of the war in Magna Graecia. Currently, Theonia, which is friendly with us, is in a dire situation, not only had they lost the battle, enemies surrounded them, and their sea route was blocked, but also there seems to be a rebellion in their country…Isocrates, as you had been to Theonia, you certainly knew about Theonia better than us. Do you think that in the current situation of Theonia, can they still withstand Syracuse’s attack?”
Isocrates still felt a bit embarrassed at this point as he had sworn to Thrasybulus earlier that ‘Theonia is a greater danger to the Greek world than Syracuse.’ Little did he know that Theonia was now on the verge of destruction in just a blink of an eye. As a scholar and an orator, Isocrates was not just a scholar who only knew how to use their brain and mouth and did not know anything about military matters. In fact, every Athenian citizen has participated in at least one or two battles in their life.
After clearing his throat, he slowly said in a hoarse voice. “Syracuse has defeated the South Italian Alliance in battle, conquered many of Magna Graecia’s city-states of Magna Graecia, while Theonia is now beset by enemies on all sides and is even suffering political instability. However, we should note that the Theonian army has not yet suffered a complete defeat, and their commander, Davos, is still in Lucania and hasn’t yet returned. So how could we presume and conclude that Theonia will be completely defeated? It is rumoured that Davos was blessed by Hades and has created many military miracles, so what if he creates another miracle and turns the war situation around?!…”
“Naturally, we would all be glad if a miracle could happen as it would be to Athens’ advantage. We also hope for Theonia can make miracles happen, or at least drag down Syracuse and let the war in Magna Graecia continue!” Thrasybulus then continued with a grave expression, “But we must still be prepared for Syracuse to conquer Theonia. Once the war in Magna Graecia is over, Dionysius would accept Sparta’s request and send the Syracusan navy and their land troops to aid Sparta!”
“I heard that Syracuse alone has more than 400 triremes, so even if he only sent one-third of them, it will change the situation of Sparta’s navy, which is now completely at a disadvantage!” Although Conon had defeated the Spartan navy, the prudent veteran did not let his guard down.
“Furthermore, Syracuse has a huge army of 80,000 men, which is twice the number of soldiers we had in Athens when we attacked Sicily! Oh Athena, is Syracuse still just a Greek city-state?!” Andocides exclaimed.
The other strategoi have also expressed their uneasiness.
Thrasybulus once again looked at Iphicrates and said with expectation, “Thus, in this crucial situation, I hope you can give those arrogant Spartans a taste of defeat and boost the morale of the anti-Spartan alliance!”
Iphicrates felt a great responsibility at once, but he remained confident and said, “Athena will bless me, and just wait for the news of my victory!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
In the past two days, the Syracusan fleet has frequently landed on the shores of Roscianum’s territory, raiding the Roscianum population and destroying the villages and farms outside the city.
Those who had lost their homes and loved ones gathered daily in front of the council, angrily demanding that the Council act immediately to stop Syracuse’s invasion!