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

THE RETURN OF ALCIBIADF5 283
under Agesandridas on the Thracian coast. With such a force he meant
to draw the Athenians away from Byzantium by attacking their allies
in the straits. 30
Clearchus, however, had misjudged the situation in Byzantium. The
siege was already having its effect on the civilians, who were suffering
from hunger. The harmost, moreover, appears to have behaved with
the harshness and arrogance typical of Spartans abroad and so to have
alienated important ByzantinesH These men were able to communicate
with Alcibiades, and together they devised a clever plan. He
promised Byzantium the same gentle treatment he had given Selymbria,
and the Byzantines agreed to let the Athenians enter the city on
a fixed night. Then he circulated the story that new developments in
Ionia required the Athenian forces to go there. On the afternoon of
the agreed-upon day, the entire Athenian fleet sailed off, and the army
marched a considerable distance from the city, presumably out of sight.
After night fell the army stole back to within striking distance of the
walls of Byzantium; meanwhile, the fleet sailed back into the harbor
and began attacking the Peloponnesian boats moored there. The defenders
rushed to the shore to bring help, leaving the walls unattended
and most of the city without defense. Now the Byzantine plotters gave
the signal to the waiting army of Alcibiades and Theramenes and let
them into the city by placing ladders at the undefended walls. Even
so, the enemy put up a stiff fight, aided as they were by most of the
Byzantines who knew nothing of the plotters' agreement with the
Athenians. Seeing that the struggle was going to be difficult, at the
very least, Alcibiades saw to it that an announcement was made promising
that the Byzantines would not be harmed. That turned the tide
of battle; the citizens changed sides and turned against the Peloponnesian
army, most of whom died fighting, although about 500 took refuge
as suppliants in the temples. The victorious Athenians behaved with
the same honor and restraint they had shown at Selymbria. No Byzantines
were killed or exiled. The city was restored to its status as an
ally of Athens and presumably resumed paying its old tribute, but its
autonomy was restored; that is, the Peloponnesian garrison and governor
were removed, and no Athenians took their place. Even the
Peloponnesian prisoners were treated correctly: they were disarmed
l 0 Xen. I.J.I7-
11Xen. I.J.IS-•9; Diod. q.66.6.