The Mytilenian Debate Thucydides Summary
The debate consisted of varying opinions the first of which was presented by cleon of athens.
The mytilenian debate thucydides summary. The mytilenian debate also spelled mytilenean debate according to thucydides occurred in athens during the time of the peloponnesian war in 427 b c the mytilenian debate is in book three of thucydides history of the peloponnesian war and reflects the increasing political and ethical confusion in athens. Thucydides the history of the peloponnesian war book 1 summary. The history of the peloponnesian war summary april 2014 orwell1627 11 comments book chapter the state of greece from the earliest times to the. The mytilenian debate took place in athens during the peloponnesian war in 427 bc and echoed the rising political and moral confusion that overtook athens after mytilene a city within greece and an ally of athens had rebelled against them.
In thucydides account of the mytilenian debate the citizens of athens are discussing whether they should put to death all mytilenian men and enslave all women and children. The mytilenians appealed to athens enemy sparta for help but the spartans lacked control of the sea and so were unable to help. Mytilene a former athenian ally had revolted against athenian oppression but lost in a fight against the athenian army. Cleon a prominent member of athenian society.
The mytilenian debate in 428 the mytilenians revolted against athens even though they had enjoyed privileged status in the athenian empire. The mytilenean debate 427 b c 25. A second debate which thucydides called the mytilenian debate took place in order to reassess the course of action that should be taken. Thucydides reports it in book three of his history of the peloponnesian war and uses the events and the.
In a previous debate the athenians already decided continue reading the mytilenian debate. The famous mitylenian debate took place shortly after the peleponnesian war began. Authority and their ultimate defeat eventually lead to. Athens thus had to choose how to punish mitylenia for switching.
The athenians attack and besiege the city and force the mytilenian government to surrender. Thucydides the historian of the war tells us how the athenian people responded. They transport the leaders of the revolt to athens and mytilene awaits its fate. The mytilenian debate also spelled mytilenean debate or mytilenaean debate in the athenian assembly concerned reprisals against the city state of mytilene which had attempted unsuccessfully to shake off athenian hegemony during the peloponnesian war the debate occurred in 427 b c.