Phyle Campaign

ThePhyle Campaign(404-403 BC) was the civil war that resulted from theSpartanimposition of a narrow oligarchy onAthens(seeThirty Tyrants) and resulted in the restoration ofAthenian democracy.

Prelude

The Thirty were short of funds and this led them to persecute wealthy Athenians of whatever political views.Many fled to Boeotia andCorinthwho offered asylum in defiance of Sparta.

The campaign

Map showing Phyle during the Phyle Campaign

The Thirty Tyrants had left Athens' border forts ungarrisoned, both out of deference to Sparta and because of their cash shortage. This allowed a group of Athenian exiles to seize the fort of Phylein 404/403 BCE.The leader of the exiles, initially only some 70 strong, wasThrasybulus,who had a reputation as a moderate democrat, and thus was ideal to unite all democratic opponents of the Thirty.A force of Athenian cavalry and Spartans was sent against Phyle, but was defeated in two surprise attacks by Thrasybulus at theBattle of Phyle.Thrasybulus then marched on Piraeus and defeated the force the Thirty sent against him at theBattle of Munychia.

Sparta first responded by sendingLysanderwith a force of mercenaries who clearly intended simply to restore the Thirty to power.Very quickly, however, Sparta sentKing Pausaniaswith a levy of thePeloponnesian League.Pausanias defeated the democrats in theBattle of Piraeus.However he opened negotiations and accepted the restoration of democracy, nevertheless insisting on the separation of Eleusis as a safe haven for the oligarchs.

Aftermath

Lysander's faction at Sparta was furious and along withKing Agisbrought Pausanias to trial to the end of 403 BCE. The exact charge is uncertain but the essence was presumably that he had been soft on Athens. Fifteen of theGerousia,including Agis, voted guilty, but fourteen Gerousia, as well as all fiveEphors,voted not guilty so he was acquitted.

Bibliography

• Cartledge, Paul (1987).Agesilaos and the Crisis of Sparta.Duckworth.ISBN978-0715630327.