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

THE COUP 141
no longer needed "aristocracy" in subordination to the Athenians when
they could have "freedom" in partnership with the Spartans." The
new government appears to have included a council of three hundred
that exiled democratic friends of Athens and confiscated their
property. 16
The outcome was a surprise and a disappointment to the Athenian
oligarchs and appears to have confirmed Phrynichus' dark predictions
about the general ineffectiveness of their plans to maintain the empire
by establishing oligarchies in it. Thucydides makes plain his agreement
with Phrynichus. He regards the affair at Thasos as typical of what
happened in the other subject cities: "Mter the cities got hold of moderate
government and freedom to act as they liked, they went on to
absolute liberty, caring nothing for the specious eunomia of the Athenians.""
Thasos was certainly not a proper test ofPhrynichus' general
theory that the Greeks preferred the independence of their city, regardless
of constitutional form or party interest, for the Thasian oligarchs
probably distrusted the sincerity of the Athenian oligarchs or,
at least, their ability to win out in the long run over the strongly
entrenched Athenian democracy. 38 It seems to be better evidence of
another point he made: that the upper classes in the imperial cities,
far from regarding the Athenian aristocracy as their natural allies and
saviors, thought of them as hand in glove with the masses and likely
to be even harsher masters if freed from the checks of democracy. 39
The defection of the Thasian oligarchy from the Athenian alliance
took place probably in the second half of July, but in May, as Peisander
and his colleagues made their way toward Athens, abolishing democracies
and collecting hoplite supporters as they went, the situation
still seemed promising. 40 When he arrived in the city, Peisander found
that his plans had gone forward swiftly and successfully. His exhortations
to the gilded youths of the aristocratic clubs had found an eager
and effective response. Bands of young men had carried out a number
of assassinations, the most notorious being that of Androcles, the leadn8.64.2-4.
For the role of Timolaus, see Hell. Oxy. 7(2).4; and HCT V, 158. For
the possibly ironic sense of the word aristocracy, see HCT V, 158.
36
For a discussion and interpretation of the inscriptions on which these statements
are based, see H. W. Pleket, Histrwia XII (I96J), 7o-77, especially 75-76.
178.64.5.
18
See Pleket, Histon'a XII (•cj}J), 74-75·
l98.48.6.
40 8.65. I. For the dates, see Her V, I 57-I sB.