Study Guide for Cleon v. Diodotus

Know that in 428 BCE Mitylene (a city on the island of Lesbos, home of Sappho) led a revolt of the other cities there.

In 427 an Athenian siege was successful in forcing Mitylene to surrender. Spartans had been on the way with a rescue mission, but had arrived too late.

Know that Mitylene had been favored among Athens’ allies because it had to provide ships, but not tribute in money. So the Athenians were angry.

Know that Cleon appears for the first time in Thucydides’ History in a debate on the issue of how to punish the citizens of Mitylene. He was, to quote historian N. G. L. Hammond, “a man whose vigor verged on violence.” (History of Greece, 1963, p. 358.) He proposes that all the male citizens of the revolting city be killed, with the women sold into slavery. A trireme was sent to give the orders for that to happen after a quick vote in the assembly.

Know that the next day the citizens of Athens began to regret their hasty action, and a motion to reconsider was submitted in the assembly. An otherwise unknown citizen named Diodotus challenged Cleon.

Know Thucydides records Cleon arguing that a city maintaining an empire in time of war must be ruthless to preserve the empire, and supported the action of the previous day.

Know Diodotus used reason to argue that killing all the citizens was not in the interest of Athens, for even people in the town who had been supporters of Athens would be killed. This would convince all the peoples of the Aegean that Athens was an untrustworthy friend, and that there should be no surrender because the Athenians would not show any mercy, even to their friends.

Know that around 1,000 men who had been involved in the revolt were executed, but that a trireme raced to Mitylene and arrived just as the local commander was about to execute everyone under the previous day’s orders.

Know that the Spartans forced a surrender at Platea, the Attic ally of Athens that had been under siege, and they proceeded to execute everyone there. (The women had escaped during a bad storm).

Know that such an execution of prisoners, Hammond says, “was contrary to the general convention of Greek warfare….Prisoners of war were normally exchanged, ransomed, or held until the conclusion of a treaty of peace.” (p. 359). So the emotional reaction to the war began to smudge the image of Athens as the city of reason and education.