Tours: Battle of Amphipolis

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Opening RemarksAmphipolisThe Triumph of BrasidasThe Shame of ThucydidesEion PortKleon's StrategyBrasidas' DefenseKleon's RetreatUnexpected AttackThe Fifty-Year PeaceClosing Remarks

• Herdotos: Welcome to Amphipolis, traveler.

("Who are you?")

• Herodotos: My name is Herodotos, and I am a traveler from Halikarnassos. I retrace the cause of various events, such as wars and great calamities. I describe what I see and record what I am told - all with the aim of providing a better understanding of why these things occur. Look for me to introduce you to many sites.

("What do you think of this place?")

• Herodotos: The Battle of Amphipolis was surely an interesting one. One might even call it anticlimactic. But that does not mean it wasn't important in the greater scheme of the Peloponnesian War.

("Let's begin the tour.")

• Herodotos: The city of Amphipolis was the site of one of the more unique battles of the Peloponnesian War. Two generals, the Athenian Kleon and the Spartan Brasidas, fought for this land in an effort to control the resources it provided. In the end, though, neither got what they wanted. Look for me when you finish your visit, and we can speak of what you've learned.

View of the Strymon river and the plain of Amphipolis / 2016

The land that would come to be known as Amphipolis was originally part of Thrace, a region inhabited by formidable semi-nomadic horsemen.

Thrace was rich in gold and silver mines. It was surrounded by lush forests, making it very attractive to outside parties like Greece and Persia.

By 513 BCE, Persia had managed to conquer much of Thrace, but after their defeat in 479 BCE, Athens made a play for the land.

They conquered the nearby island of Thasos in 465 BCE, but the military prowess of the Thracian riders kept them out of the country's interior.

It was only in 436 BCE that Athens established a solid foothold in thrace with the founding of Amphipolis, a city of the banks of the river Strymon.

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In 513 BCE, the Persians controlled the mines in the region of Thrace, and imposed a silver tribute on the resident Greeks and Thracian tribes.

After the Persians' defeat in 480/479 BCE, Athens took advantage of the strength of its naval fleet to try to conquer and control of the region's mines themselves. In 465 BCE, they besieged the nearby island of Thasos and forced the city to surrender.

Later on in 436 BCE, the Athenians founded the city of Amphipolis in Thrace, giving them a foothold in the resource-rich region.

Peltast depicted on shield of a hoplite, scene from an attic red-figure kylix / 520-490 BC (Archaic / Classical Greece)

During the Peloponnesian War, the Spartan general Brasidas sought a way to subvert Athenian power across the Greek world.

He set his sights on capturing the coast of Thrace, hoping to seize the resources the area provided.

Brasidas knew that many of the Greeks living in Thrace hated the greed and brutality of their Athenian neighbors, and decided to take advantage of the situation.

He set off on a expedition to Amphipolis accompanied by 1,000 hoplites and 700 helots, and arrived before the city in the winter of 424 BCE.

At Amphipolis' ramparts, Brasidas announced that he preferred to take the city peacefully, and promised to allow safe passage to any inhabitants who wished to leave – in addition to sparing those who wanted to cooperate.

This proposal was well-received by the city's residents, and he was able to capture Amphipolis without striking a single blow.

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Brasidas' army was made of men who signed on to his expedition voluntarily. However, the soldiers also received a "misthos", which was an allowance that was paid to them in silver.

In the 4th century BCE, the term "misthios" was used to refer to mercenaries who fought for monetary compensation.

("I'm ready for the quiz.") ("Take on the next suggested tour.") ("Take me on a random tour.") ([LEAVE] "That's all for now.")

Gallery

• File:Assassin's Creed Discovery Tour- The Battle of Amphipolis - Ep. 16 - Ubisoft -NA-