I just finished listening to The Peloponnesian War by Tulane Professor Kenneth Harl (36 lectures produced by the Teaching Company). This war was waged between the Athenian Empire and Sparta and her allies from 431 to 404 BC. I highly recommend this program: Harl does an excellent job of bringing this era to life.
This war has many features: the rise of terror tactics, ruinous plagues, large-scale sieges, out-of-control popular assemblies, ruthless butchering of civilian populations, breakdown of morality, cataclysmic sea battles, unscrupulous politicians, wasted military opportunities, court intrigue with the Persians, and the collapse of Athens' "Golden Age."
This is the first time I'd returned to this era since 1969-70 when I studied this war as a student (and even read Thucydides in the original Greek). In the intervening four decades, I've found that my perspective has changed considerably.
In the late 1960s, against the backdrop of the Cold War, it was customary to see a democratic and vibrant Athens in the role of the United States, and a stolid and secretive Sparta as a proto-Soviet Union. It was all too easy to downplay Athens' slavery and aggressive colonialism and play up Sparta's adherence to strong military values and deep suspicions about the outside world.
This time around I saw Athens in a less favorable light, and Sparta in a more positive way.
Athens greatly exploited (often cruelly) the member cities of her empire. And she used the slaughter of civilians to intimidate both foes and wavering allies.
And Sparta, after all, did win the war. And she did it because she proved to be the more flexible: she was able to build a fleet (quite an achievement for a land-locked power) and defeat Athens at her strength — on sea.
Also, for all the glory of the Athenian democratic popular assembly, the leaders it produced (after Pericles) tended to be weak, vacillating, and corrupt. Many of the Spartan leaders, on the other hand, e.g., Brasidas and Lysander, turned out to be more flexible, imaginative, and effective.
As companion reading material, I read Victor Davis Hanson's book, A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and the Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War. I also re-read Book VII of Thucycides' Peloponnesian War (which deals with the failed Sicilian Expedition).
Hanson does a fine job of exploring how the two sides waged war. I came to understand the details of hoplite warfare, Greek cavalry tactics, and how two-year long sieges were conducted. Especially eye-opening is his description of life (cramped conditions, darkness, stench) aboard a Greek trireme (ship) and the terror that must have been a part of naval combat.
For me, the saddest and most sobering part of this entire story is the saga of the Athenian Expedition to Sicily. I kept thinking, "Why?" If you want the whole cocktail of hubris, strategic over-reach, poor leadership, bad timing, meddling politicians, and the bloody annihilation of an entire navy and army, it's all right there for you in the Athenian attempt to subdue Syracuse.
All in all, I'd say there is much to be learned from these events of nearly two-and-a-half millennia ago that can be applied to understanding what is happening to today. That is, after all, one of the reasons one studies history.
This is one of those subjects I've always wanted to delve more deeply into. I have a book on it, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
The Teaching Company courses seem one of the best ways to get started.
I downloaded "The Great Debate: Advocates and Opponents of the American Constitution" from TTC a few weeks ago, so that's next on my list. However, on your recommendation, I may have to move this course up.
Posted by: Cam Beck | 22 January 2008 at 01:28 PM
I studied Athens and Sparta some years ago and have since astonished my friends by saying that Athenian Democracy was, basically, an engine of war - closer to today when voters had to be of a 'certain wealth', you could argue that British democracy was as well. A quick glance at The Old Empire may prove interesting in this light...
Now who do our governments govern and what do they produce - war or peace?
Posted by: Free to think, free to believe | 22 January 2008 at 02:47 PM
I listened to Kenneth Harl's course on the history of Turkey and Mesopotamia - very interesting! His voice is clear and makes you feel like you're right in the classroom with a great professor. I'll have to look up this title.
Posted by: Mario Vellandi | 22 January 2008 at 03:19 PM
Cam: You're right about the Teaching Company: they produce an excellent product. I'll have to look into the program you just downloaded.
Free to Think: "Athenian Democracy was, basically, an engine of war" Yeah, I think I'd agree with that. The Athenian Empire was founded on the Delian League which Athens created with a number of island and Asian Minor city states as a self-defense alliance against the Persians after 479 BC. They were able to milk that treaty/alliance for considerable financial gain.
One of the reasons that Athens was so admired by British classicists and historians in the 19th and 20th centuries is that the British saw many similarities between themselves and 5th BC Athens: both had empires and were maritime powers.
Mario: I agree with you about Professor Harl. I'm looking forward to some of his other programs.
Posted by: Roger von Oech | 22 January 2008 at 04:27 PM
My Teaching Company user forum has some interesting comments like these by one of the reviewers of Kenneth Harl's course:
http://teachingcompany.12.forumer.com/viewforum.php?f=44&sid=dac7290808ca295e0c077607afcdcf08
Posted by: Doug van Orsow | 22 January 2008 at 04:44 PM
Sorry, that last link to the forum on Kenneth Harl's Peloponnesian War course should be:
http://teachingcompany.12.forumer.com/viewforum.php?f=44
To post you just need to register at:
http://teachingcompany.12.forumer.com/profile.php?mode=register
I also hope to get the course in a few days to join in on all the fun.
Doug van Orsow
Posted by: Doug van Orsow | 22 January 2008 at 09:06 PM
Star Wars The Clone War is a redux of The Chladice episode of the Pelopennesian Wars. The clones, (hoplites ) even wore Spartan helmets. Fascinating.
Posted by: J Heimerl | 17 November 2008 at 06:46 AM