The Fall of the Athenian Empire-(A New History of the Peloponnesian War) Donald Kagan - (1987)

94 THE FALL OF THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE
continued to blockade Chios close to starvation and to undertake discussions
with Tissaphernes.
The events of the rest of the winter further revealed Spartan reluctance.
It was at this time that the Athenians deposed Phrynichus
and Scironides on the charge of betraying Amorges and losing Iasus
and sent out Leon and Diomedon in their place .... The new generals
were given command of an Athenian force that boldly attacked Rhodes
even while the Peloponnesian ships were beached on the island. The
Athenians defeated a Rhodian army that came out to meet them and
then moved to Chalce, from which they continued to launch raids.
Although Thucydides gives us no figures, this could not have been as
big a fleet as the Peloponnesians had beached at Rhodes, but its aggressive
attirude is clear. The Athenians moved their base from Cos
to Chalce "because it was easier for them to keep watch from there in
case the Peloponnesian fleet should put out to sea in any direction."'"'
Thus an Athenian fleet, certainly smaller than their own, taunted the
Peloponnesians by taking up a position close to them and launching
raids from it, but the Peloponnesian ships stayed on the beach.
Next a message came to the Spartans at Rhodes from Pedaritus at
Chios. The Athenian fortification was complete, and unless the entire
Peloponnesian fleet came, the island would be lost. Pedaritus, on the
basis of his previous experience, could hardly be confident that his
plea would be answered, so he acted in his own behalf. With his full
force of mercenaries and Chians, he attacked the part of the Athenian
fortification that protected the Athenian ships. Surprise brought limited
success. He broke through and captured some ships that had been
hauled on shore, but the Athenian counterattack defeated both mercenaries
and Chians. Casualties were high and included Pedaritus himself,
who was killed in his desperate attempt. Afterward the condition
of the Chians was worse than ever: "They were blockaded still more
than before by land and sea and there was great famine there. "'" 4
The Spartans at Rhodes could not easily ignore Pedarirus' plea, and
Thucydides tells us that they fully intended to heed it. '" 5 They were
•ol Although the charge was brought by Peisander as part of his plot, and therefore
had political motives, the condemnation was made by a free Athenian jury before the
overthrow of the democracy. The outcome of his advice and strategy as described
above must have predisposed the jury to take a harsh view of his behavior.
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