DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0428
406
of the military affairs 01' greece.
But the rival cities could not be long content with this equal dis-
tribution of power, each being jealous of the other's greatness, and think-
ing herself best able to govern the whole jurisdiction ; till at length, the
Athenians, having their whole fleet, except twelve trireme gallies, des-
troyed at once by Lysander the Spartan admiral, in the famous battle at
iEgos Potamus, were constrained to own the Lacedaemonians for sove-
reigns both by sea and land (1).
But the Lacedaemonians were not long able to maintain this command ;
for the Athenians, having recruited their naval forces, and engaged Eva-
goras the king of Cyprus, and Pharnabazus the Persian emperor's lieu-
tenant, to their interest, by their assistance, and the singular conduct of
their own admiral. Conon, gave them so great an overthrow at Cni-
dus C2), that they never after pretended to contest the sovereignty of the
seas, but contented themselves with the chief command at land, which
the Athenians suffered them to enjoy, without farther molestation, both ci-
ties being weary of the contention, and convinced at length of the truth
of what had been commonly observed, that fortune was most favourable
to the Lacedaemonians by land, but in sea-engagements sided with the
Athenian (3). This seems not to have been without reason ; the
Athenians, through the commodiousness of their situation, being disposed,
and, as it were, invited by nature to apply themselves to naval affairs ;
whereas the Lacedaemonians were placed at a greater distance from the
sea, and more inclined to land-service (to which they were inured from
their tender years), than to venture themselves on the ocean, to which
they had never been accustomed ; for Lycurgus, their lawgiver, ex-
pressly forbade them (4) to visit foreign countries, out of a well-ground-
ed fear, lest his citizens should be corrupted by the conversation of
strangers, and forsake that excellent platform of government he contrived
for them. And it happened to them as he had wisely foreseen ;
for no sooner had Lysander rendered them sovereigns of the seas, but
they began by degrees to leave off their ancient customs, and to degen-
erate from the virtue and glory of their ancestors (5).
CHAP. II.
of their levies, pay, &c of soldiers.
The Grecian armies consisted, for the most part, of free denizens,
whom the laws of their country obliged, when arrived at a certain age,
to appear in arms, upon the summons of the magistrate, or commissioned
officer. In some places they were more early admitted to the wars, in
others later.
The Athenians, when arrived at eighteen years of age, were appoint-
ed to guard the city, with the forts belonging to it > ft-om their going
about to visit which, they were called irsgi'?roAoi (6) ; but were not sent to
(1) Xenophon. ?r£ji Kufa dva€a<r. lib. vi. Plu- (3) Xenophon, EMoukwv, lib. vii.
tarchus Lysandro. (i) Plutarchus Institut. Laconicis.
<2) Isocrates pro Evagora, in Philippum, Pa- (5) Demosthenes Orat, in Philip, iii.
nathenaica, Xenophon. 'Eu-ovixOv, lib. vi. Plu- (6) Ulpianus in Olynthiac. lib. iii.
tarchus ArtaKerxe.
of the military affairs 01' greece.
But the rival cities could not be long content with this equal dis-
tribution of power, each being jealous of the other's greatness, and think-
ing herself best able to govern the whole jurisdiction ; till at length, the
Athenians, having their whole fleet, except twelve trireme gallies, des-
troyed at once by Lysander the Spartan admiral, in the famous battle at
iEgos Potamus, were constrained to own the Lacedaemonians for sove-
reigns both by sea and land (1).
But the Lacedaemonians were not long able to maintain this command ;
for the Athenians, having recruited their naval forces, and engaged Eva-
goras the king of Cyprus, and Pharnabazus the Persian emperor's lieu-
tenant, to their interest, by their assistance, and the singular conduct of
their own admiral. Conon, gave them so great an overthrow at Cni-
dus C2), that they never after pretended to contest the sovereignty of the
seas, but contented themselves with the chief command at land, which
the Athenians suffered them to enjoy, without farther molestation, both ci-
ties being weary of the contention, and convinced at length of the truth
of what had been commonly observed, that fortune was most favourable
to the Lacedaemonians by land, but in sea-engagements sided with the
Athenian (3). This seems not to have been without reason ; the
Athenians, through the commodiousness of their situation, being disposed,
and, as it were, invited by nature to apply themselves to naval affairs ;
whereas the Lacedaemonians were placed at a greater distance from the
sea, and more inclined to land-service (to which they were inured from
their tender years), than to venture themselves on the ocean, to which
they had never been accustomed ; for Lycurgus, their lawgiver, ex-
pressly forbade them (4) to visit foreign countries, out of a well-ground-
ed fear, lest his citizens should be corrupted by the conversation of
strangers, and forsake that excellent platform of government he contrived
for them. And it happened to them as he had wisely foreseen ;
for no sooner had Lysander rendered them sovereigns of the seas, but
they began by degrees to leave off their ancient customs, and to degen-
erate from the virtue and glory of their ancestors (5).
CHAP. II.
of their levies, pay, &c of soldiers.
The Grecian armies consisted, for the most part, of free denizens,
whom the laws of their country obliged, when arrived at a certain age,
to appear in arms, upon the summons of the magistrate, or commissioned
officer. In some places they were more early admitted to the wars, in
others later.
The Athenians, when arrived at eighteen years of age, were appoint-
ed to guard the city, with the forts belonging to it > ft-om their going
about to visit which, they were called irsgi'?roAoi (6) ; but were not sent to
(1) Xenophon. ?r£ji Kufa dva€a<r. lib. vi. Plu- (3) Xenophon, EMoukwv, lib. vii.
tarchus Lysandro. (i) Plutarchus Institut. Laconicis.
<2) Isocrates pro Evagora, in Philippum, Pa- (5) Demosthenes Orat, in Philip, iii.
nathenaica, Xenophon. 'Eu-ovixOv, lib. vi. Plu- (6) Ulpianus in Olynthiac. lib. iii.
tarchus ArtaKerxe.