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

270 . THE FALL OF THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE
victorious momentum. All of these results would be useful in preparation
for what could then be a final confrontation with the enemy in
the straits.
Even so, there is no reason to believe that the Athenians neglected
the needs of their forces in the Hellespont when they sent Thrasyllus
to Ionia in 409. His forces were precisely those needed by Alcibiades
and Theramenes, and Thrasyllus' actions are consistent with the view
that his orders required him to move on to the straits after his activities
in Ionia. Such a double mission was in no way unusual for Athenian
commanders. In the winter of 433/p, Archestratus was sent to Macedonia
with orders to secure Potidaea along the way; in 429 an Athenian
fleet was ordered to bring help to Phormia at Naupactus and to
set matters right in Crete along the way; in 42 5 Sophocles and Eurymedon
were sent with a fleet to Sicily with orders to perform services
on the Peloponnesian coast and at Corcyra before they arrived. 96 We
need not doubt, therefore, that Thrasyllus' orders covered both Ionia
and the Hellespont.
Thrasyllus set out at the beginning of summer, perhaps early in
June of 409. 97 His first stop was Samos, where he spent three days.
From there he sailed against Pygela, on the coast just to the south of
Ephesus (see Map 3). He devastated the countryside before attacking
the town wall. But the ravaging provided warning and time for the
Milesians to send a relief force. The Athenians were caught unaware,
and the Milesian column found the Athenians scattered, not in battle
order, and pursued the exposed peltasts. The remaining Athenians,
hoplites and peltasts, rallied and came to the rescue, killing most of
the Milesians and capturing 200 enemy shields abandoned in flight.
They set up a trophy to celebrate their triumph, but it was a hollow
victory. The walls of Pygela stood, and the city remained in enemy
hands. 98 The next day the Athenians sailed to Notium, on the coast
to the northwest of Ephesus. From there they marched inland to Colophon
and brought that city back under Athenian control. They were
in a good position to attack Ephesus, the main target in the area, and
would have been in even a better position had they taken Pygela,
961.57.6; 2.85·4-6; 4·2·3·
97 Xen. 1.2. 1. Busolt (GG 111:2, 1 549) places the start of the campaign at the beginning
of June, but Meyer (GdA IV, 323) puts it in May. "The beginning of summer"
(&pxoJ.LEvou 7o0 8Epouc;) suits June better. Both place the events in 410, which is a year
too early.
118 Xen. 1.2.2-J.