WAR IN THE HELLENISTIC WORLD

THE AGE OF WAR: FIGHTING YOUNG MEN
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THE AGE OF WAR:
FIGHTING YOUNG MEN
3.1. Restless Warriors
In his narrative of the Lyttian War (221–220 BC), the greatest war in Cretan
history, Polybios reports an incident in Gortyn which has puzzled modern
historians (Polyb. 4.53.5–7):
At first all the members of the Cretan alliance (Kretaieis) took part in the war
against the Lyttians, but jealousy having sprung up from some trifling cause, as
is the custom of the Cretans, they quarrelled with each other . . . Gortyn was
in a state of civil war, the elder citizens (presbyteroi) taking the part of Knossos
and the younger (neoteroi) that of Lyttos.
Such a conflict between young and old is unusual, but not unheard of. The
Cretans were again divided 150 years later, over the prospect of a war against
Rome. The Cretans had been terrorizing the Eastern Mediterranean with
their raids, and a first attempt by the Romans to eliminate Cretan piracy had
ended with a disaster in 74 BC. A few years later, in 70 BC, when the Cretans
sent envoys to Rome requesting a peace treaty, they were confronted with
immense demands. The Romans asked the Cretans to pay the enormous
amount of 4,000 talents, to deliver their warships, and to hand over 300
hostages, including their military leaders. The “older” men were inclined
to accept these demands (Diod. 40.1.1), but the view of those who preferred
to fight prevailed. Velleius Paterculus (2.34.1) described the 24,000
Cretans who fought under the leadership of Lasthenes and Panares as “young
men” (quattuor et viginti milibus iuvenes coactis). The new war ultimately
led to the conquest of Crete. One may speculate whether these opposing
views may have had a socio-economic background: the young men, who
had not yet inherited the property of their fathers, saw in booty and slave
trade a profitable source of income. The elderly men preferred peace,
because the acceptance of the Roman demands did not really threaten the
foundations of their economic existence. One may wish to recognize in this
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