Latest / The History of Greece: Philosophy, Empire, and Endless Reinvention — Fexingo History
Pylos and Sphacteria: How Athens Captured Spartan Men
In 425 BCE, during the Peloponnesian War, the Athenians pulled off a stunning coup: they fortified the rocky promontory of Pylos on the Messenian coast, and then trapped a contingent of Spartan hoplites on the nearby island of Sphacteria. This episode follows the daring plan of the Athenian general Demosthenes — not the orator, but the strategos — who saw an opportunity to strike at the heart of Spartan power. We explore the naval battle in the Bay of Pylos, the desperate Spartan attempts to negotiate, and the eventual surrender of nearly 300 Spartan soldiers, an unprecedented humiliation for…
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