POLI 260 Chapter Notes - Chapter WEEK 1 | Intro to POLI260: Peloponnesian War
20 Apr 2018
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- Peloponnesian war → Athens and Sparta were in a treaty, but there was still a
competition for hegemony
- This was felt quite a bit by other independent states, who were forced to pick
sides in this “dispute”.
- Melos, in particular, although being a colony island of Sparta, had been choosing to
remain neutral in all of this
- Athens found this unacceptable, so they came to Melos to force them into
submission, with TONS of military equipment and army
- Athens gave them the ultimatum → Surrender, pay tribute to Athens, or be destroyed,
become slaves…
- Melos argued that b/c they’re a nation of neutrality, this hostility was not necessary.
- Athenians then counteract this argument by saying that if they walked away without
melos, they’d be viewed as weak. People would view Melos as strong.
- Melos argue that invasion will alarm other neutral Greek states, leading to further
hostility against Athens, b/c they’ll be scared to get invaded.
- Athenians counter this with the fact that greek states aren’t likely to do this, it’s the more
volatile island states, and places that are already conquered that impose any risk.
- Melians argue this would be shameful and cowardly of them to submit w/o a fight.
- Athenians say that the debate isn’t about honour but self-preservation.
- Melians say that even if Athenians are stronger, still chance Melians could win. -
- Athens says only the strong have the right to indulge in hope, and the weak Melians are
hopelessly outmatched.
- Melians say the gods will protect them, b/c they are right! And their Spartan kin will
come to defense.
- Athens say gods and men alike respect strength of moral arguments. The strong do as
they can, and the weak suffer what they must. Spartans have nothing to gain and a lot to
lose by coming to Melos’s defense.
- Athenians CONCLUDE: no shame in submitting to a stronger enemy.
- Melians CONCLUE: no change in mind, and politely dismiss the envoys.
Interesting, because there is this clash of the Athenian political realism, and the Melian ideals of
justice…
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Document Summary
Peloponnesian war athens and sparta were in a treaty, but there was still a competition for hegemony. This was felt quite a bit by other independent states, who were forced to pick sides in this dispute . Melos, in particular, although being a colony island of sparta, had been choosing to remain neutral in all of this. Athens found this unacceptable, so they came to melos to force them into submission, with tons of military equipment and army. Athens gave them the ultimatum surrender, pay tribute to athens, or be destroyed, become slaves . Melos argued that b/c they"re a nation of neutrality, this hostility was not necessary. Athenians then counteract this argument by saying that if they walked away without melos, they"d be viewed as weak. Melos argue that invasion will alarm other neutral greek states, leading to further hostility against athens, b/c they"ll be scared to get invaded.
