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

282 -THE FALL OF THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE
inhabitants, he offered reasonable terms and imposed strict discipline
on his Thracian troops to see that they were observed. No harm was
done to the city or its citizens; the Athenians received more money,
placed a garrison in the city, and swiftly moved on toward Byzantium_
25 It was a skillful performance that saved time, money, and lives
and also fully achieved its goal. This was the kind of warfare in which
Alcibiades was most comfortable and in which he excelled.
The next target was Byzantium, the remaining key needed to unlock
the Bosporus and the route to the Black Sea. Theramenes and Thrasyllus
had already brought their forces to its territory after concluding
the treaty with Pharnabazus, and Alcibiades joined them from Selymbria.
26 The Athenians disposed of considerable forces by the standards
of the time: a massive fleet, unchallenged by the enemy; a hoplite force
greatly enlarged by Alcibiades' Thracians; a cavalry; and more money
than they had enjoyed for some time. 27 Even so, to take a fortified city
willing to resist was neither easy nor certain. The Athenians once
again, as at Chalcedon, built a wall to cut off the city on the landward
side while their fleet prevented access by sea, but once again, neither
siege nor assault promised quick success. Byzantium was an important
city with a large population. It was defended by Clearchus, a tough
Spartan harmost who had been sent to take command in the summer
of 411." As usual, the commander was the only Spartiate sent so far
from home, but he was accompanied by a corps of perioikoi and a few
neodamodeis; a Megarian contingent under Helixus, the man who had
brought Byzantium into rebellion; a force of Boeotians under Coeratadas;
and a body of mercenaries. 29 The Athenians spent some time
assaulting the city but with so little success that Clearchus felt secure
enough to leave Byzantium in the hands of his subordinates and cross
over to the Asiatic shore to meet Pharnabazus. His first purpose was
to get money to pay his troops, but he also intended to put together
a fleet from the few ships left behind by the deposed admiral Pasippidas,
the new ships recently constructed at Antandrus, and the fleet
25
1 have followed the fullest account, that of Plutarch (Ak. )0.2-5), whose details
seem worthy of credit. See also Xen. I.J.IO; and Diod. 1].66.]-4·
26 Xen. I.J.I4; Diod. I].66.4; Plut. Ale. p.2. Plutarch mentions only Alcibiades at
Byzantium. Xenophon speaks of "the Athenians." Diodorus places Theramenes at
Byzantium first, where Alcibiades joins him. No one names Thrasyllus, but Xenophon
(1.4. 10) makes it plain that he was on the scene until the end of the campaign.
Z7See Bloedow, Alcibiades, 63.
28
8.8o.3; Diod. 13.40.6.
29
Xen. 1.3.15-16; Diod. q.66.5.