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Battle of the Echinades (322 BC)

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Battle of the Echinades
Part of theLamian War
Datespring or summer 322 BC
Location
Echinadesislands or off theMalian Gulf
Result Macedonian victory
Belligerents
Athens Macedonia
Commanders and leaders
Unknown, possiblyEuetion Cleitus the White

TheBattle of the Echinadeswas one of the naval battles of theLamian War(323–322 BC), fought between theMacedoniannavy underCleitus the Whiteand theAtheniannavy.

Background[edit]

TheLamian Waror Hellenic War was fought by a coalition of cities includingAthensand theAetolian LeagueagainstMacedonfollowing the death ofAlexander the Greatin 323 BC.[1]The southern Greek city-states had never fully acquiesced to Macedonian hegemony,imposed through force of arms,but it was one of Alexander's last acts, theExiles Decreeof 324 BC that provoked open resentment, especially inAthens,where preparations for war began even before Alexander's death.[2]The Exiles Decree stipulated the return of all exiles and the restoration of their citizenship and property, and was perceived as a direct violation of the city-states' autonomy by Alexander. To the Athenians in particular, the decree was anathema as it meant that the island ofSamos,an Athenian possession since 366 BC and settled with Atheniancleruchs,was to be restored to the exiled Samians. Instead of complying with it, they arrested the arriving Samian oligarchs and sent them prisoner to Athens.[3][4]

Although fallen from the height of its power during theGolden Age of Periclesin the 5th century, Athens still had extensive financial resources at its disposal and a fleet numbering 240 or perhaps even 400 warships.[5]Following the news of Alexander's death, the Athenians played a leading role in assembling a league to fight for the restoration of the city-states' autonomy. The allies first defeated the pro-MacedonianBoeotiansand then—aided by the defection of theThessaliancavalry—the Macedonian viceroy of Greece,Antipater,forcing him to retreat to the fortified city ofLamia,where the allieslaid siege to him.[6]Antipater called for military and naval reinforcements from the rest of the Macedonian empire. As a result, while Antipater remained besieged in Lamia, a naval campaign was fought in theAegean Seabetween theMacedoniansunderCleitus the Whiteand the Athenians underEuetion,who initially attempted to stop the Macedonian reinforcements to cross fromAsia Minorinto Europe at theHellespont.[7][8]

Historical sources and localization of the battle[edit]

The two main sources on the naval battles of the Lamian War areDiodorus Siculus,and, to a lesser extent,Plutarch.[9]Despite the decisive role of the naval battles in the war's outcome, the sources are brief and ambiguous as to the exact number and location of the naval battles fought.[10][11]Diodorus Siculus (18.15.8–9) merely reports on the naval campaign that "Cleitus was in command of the Macedonian fleet, which numbered two hundred and forty. Engaging with the Athenian admiral Euetion he defeated him in two naval battles and destroyed a large number of the ships of the enemy near the islands that are called the Echinades".[12]In addition, theParian Marble,a chronicle inscribed on marble inParos,refers to a battle nearAmorgos,won by the Macedonians, while other inscriptions dated to ca. 320 BC refer to a battle atAbydoson the Hellespont.[12]

It is unclear from Diodorus' statement whether there were two or three battles, which has led to several interpretations by modern researchers. The traditional reconstruction of events posits that there was a first battle at the Hellespont, per the inscriptions, that was won by the Macedonians, allowing their army to cross into Europe. This was followed by theBattle of Amorgos,and a third battle at the Echinades. An additional problem arises form the fact that theEchinadesislands are in theIonian Sea,off the western coast of Greece, which is incompatible with a war fought mainly in theAegean Seaand along the eastern coast of Greece. Hence it has been suggested by T. Walek (Revue de Philologie48, 1924, pp. 28ff.) that the islands in question were theLichadesin theMalian Gulfnear Lamia, while J. S. Morrison (The Journal of Hellenic Studies107, 1987, p. 95) suggested that the site of the battle was at the islets nearCape Echinus.[12][13]

More recently, however, A. B. Bosworth suggested that Diodorus' passage did not summarize the entire naval campaign of the war, but referred to a separate naval theatre in the Ionian Sea, most likely against theAetolianswho claimed possession ofOiniadesat theAcarnaniancoast. Bosworth posited that the Athenians sent a fleet to aid the Aetolians, and that there were indeed two battles near the Echinades in spring 322, in which the Athenians were defeated. The Macedonian fleet then returned to the Aegean, where it confronted and defeated the last Athenian navy at Amorgos.[14]This view has found increasing acceptance among scholars in recent works,[15][16]although John R. Hale for instance retains the traditional chronology of the battles, placing Amorgos before the Echinades.[17]Other historians, like Edward M. Anson, remain sceptical and prefer the traditional interpretation, locating the "Echinades" near the Malian Gulf and placing the battle after Amorgos as well.[18]

Whatever the true location, Diodorus emphasizes the losses suffered by the Athenians at Echinades. Consequently, the scholars who place the battle after Amorgos regard it as thecoup de grâceto the Athenian navy, which had survived Amorgos mostly unscathed.[19][20][21]

Aftermath[edit]

The successive naval defeats, coupled with the arrival of Macedonian reinforcements and the defeat of the southern Greek allies at theBattle of Crannonon land, led the Athenians to seek peace.[22][23]The terms saw the disenfranchisement and expulsion of 12,000 of the city's poorest citizens (thethetes) and the restriction of voting rights to the richer citizens, putting an end to classicalAthenian democracy.In addition, Antipater installed a Macedonian garrison on theMunychiahill inPiraeus,marking an end to Athenian naval power and political independence.[24][25]

References[edit]

  1. ^Anson 2014,p. 23.
  2. ^Anson 2014,pp. 23, 31.
  3. ^Anson 2014,pp. 30, 32–33.
  4. ^Hale 2014,pp. 311–312.
  5. ^Anson 2014,pp. 29–30.
  6. ^Anson 2014,pp. 33–34.
  7. ^Anson 2014,pp. 34–35.
  8. ^Hale 2014,p. 313.
  9. ^Hale 2014,p. 363.
  10. ^Anson 2014,p. 34.
  11. ^Hackel 1992,p. 373.
  12. ^abcAnson 2014,p. 35.
  13. ^Hackel 1992,pp. 186 (note 84), 373.
  14. ^Bosworth 2003,pp. 16–20.
  15. ^Yardley, Wheatley & Heckel 2011,p. 128.
  16. ^Dixon 2014,pp. 47–48.
  17. ^Hale 2014,pp. 316, 363.
  18. ^Anson 2014,p. 44 (note 54).
  19. ^Hackel 1992,p. 376.
  20. ^Anson 2014,p. 40.
  21. ^Hale 2014,pp. 315–316.
  22. ^Anson 2014,pp. 39–40.
  23. ^Hale 2014,p. 316.
  24. ^Anson 2014,pp. 40–41.
  25. ^Hale 2014,pp. 315–318, 364.

Sources[edit]

  • Anson, Edward M. (2014).Alexander's Heirs: The Age of the Successors.John Wiley & Sons.ISBN978-1-4443-3962-8.
  • Bosworth, Albert Brian (2003). "Why Did Athens Lose the Lamian War?". In Palagia, Olga; Tracy, Stephen V. (eds.).The Macedonians in Athens, 322-229 B.C.: Proceedings of an International Conference Held at the University of Athens, May 24-26, 2001.Oxbow. pp. 14–22.ISBN1-84217-092-9.
  • Dixon, Michael D. (2014).Late Classical and Early Hellenistic Corinth: 338-196 BC.Routledge.ISBN978-1-317-67649-2.
  • Hackel, Waldemar (1992).The Marshals of Alexander's Empire.Routledge.ISBN0-415-05053-7.
  • Hale, John R. (2014).Lords of the Sea: The Epic Story of the Athenian Navy and the Birth of Democracy.Viking.ISBN978-1-906142-78-0.
  • Yardley, J. C.; Wheatley, Pat; Heckel, Waldemar, eds. (2011).Justin: Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus: Volume II: Books 13-15: The Successors to Alexander the Great.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-927759-9.

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