Weekly #4

Adam Beard
Honors Western Civilization

 Cast of Characters

Socrates- a well-known Athenian philosopher

Lysander- leader of the Spartan army

Pericles- leader of Athens during the Golden Age

Dorian- member of the Athenian marine fleet

Tycho- another member of the Athenian marine fleet

Alcibiades- Athenian who told Athens’ plans to Sparta about war plans and their strategic plans to win

Other Athenians

Narrator

431 B.C. in Athens

Pericles- We people of Athens have the most power in all of the Eastern Mediterranean

Dorian- We have a lot of power, but the city-state of Sparta is gaining power too. I have a fear that they might attack us

Pericles- Even if they attack us, we have the protection and the greatest army to defeat them in every aspect of their attack

Narrator- What Pericles didn’t see actually happened. Spartans came to stop Athens from becoming the most powerful empire in the ancient world. The Spartans came unexpectedly and this astonished all of Athens. One method of defeating the Athenians was a method of blocking the harbor of Athens so no trade products or food could come into Athens.

Dorian- The Spartans have blocked off our harbor and all of the Athenians are stranded in between the city walls of Athens.

Tycho- We our running out of food quickly and the Spartans are so powerful that we cannot fight them.

Lysander- We Spartans are victorious and have destroyed the Athenians in Athens. No one can stop us now because we have gained all of the power.

Narrator- A year later, the plague hit Athens from a lack of food and clean water. Many people were getting sick and Athens saw a third of their population die from this terrible plague. Dorian and Tycho saw the whole thing fly through their eyes. They were worried that Athens would be forced to surrender to them. 

Athenian citizen- my family and I are in desperate need of food and we are starving! Help us!

Narrator- But sadly, there was no help. Athens was in rule by Sparta and they had no power to defeat them. Then even worse news came in Athens. Their leader, Pericles, was affected by the plague, too.

429 B.C. in Athens

Pericles- I just want Athenians to continue my reign of power in this empire and to continue greatness in Athens. But most importantly, defeat SPARTA!   He Dies.

Dorian- We need a new leader or we are doomed

Tycho- Don’t worry, Dorian. We will think of a plan to get revenge on the Spartans.

415 B.C. in the Ionian Sea

Narrator- Athenian fleets of ship were on their way to Syracuse in the city-sate of Sicily. Athens was currently allied with Sicily and Athens cam there because Sicily was under attack from Syracuse. The goal of the Athenians was to defeat the Syracusans, but they had no clue about what was about to come from the one of the leaders of the expedition, Alcibiades.

Dorian (to Tycho)- Our fleets of ships are almost at Sicily and we need to stop the Syracusans from our ally of Sicily.

Tycho- We should do okay in this battle since Syracuse is not expecting us to be there.

Narrator- What the Athenian fleets did not know is that Alcibiades had to leave the ships to attend a trial back in Athens for the mutilation of the Hermae. But instead of going back to Athens, he sailed to Sparta and told the Spartans everything about what Athens was doing in Sicily and all of their methods and strategies to use in the war. Alcibiades betrayed his fleets of ships in Sicily and told the Spartans all of the war tactics Athens was going to use. Athens was betrayed by a great military leader and they didn’t even know about it.

Spring of 414 B.C. in Syracuse, Sicily

Narrator- The Athenian fleets finally arrived in Syracuse after sailing for roughly four months in the Ionian Sea. But not even a fleet of 50,000 soldiers were ready for this war.

Tycho- Oh My Gosh. Look at all of the Syracusian soldiers ready to kill us all

Dorian- We are really in for it today, soldiers.

Narrator- The Athenian soldiers had no clue why it looked like Syracusian soldiers were completely ready for them. It was all from Alcibiades. When he told the Spartans about the Athenian’s arrival, the Spartans then told Syracuse all about Athens, which is why they were ready to kill all of the Athenians.

(The Syracusian soldiers come charging toward the Athenian ships)

Dorian- Here they come

Tycho- We have to attack now, soldiers

Narrator- Too bad the leaders of the expedition could not choose a war strategy they all liked, do the soldiers did not know how to fight the Syracusian soldiers.

Tycho (to Dorian) - Our soldiers have been slaughtered. We’re two of the few soldiers left in the Athenian fleet.
Dorian (to Tycho) – Watch out!

Narrator- Unfortunately, Tycho was slaughtered, and then Dorian, and then 50,000 soldiers followed in this fate. The Athenian soldiers had no stop to the attacks of the Syracusian soldiers. This defeat marked arguably the biggest loss in the Ancient Athenian Empire. This defeat made the remaining citizens in Athens feel terrible about themselves and the rest of their empire.

399 B.C. Back in Athens

Narrator- After the defeat at Sicily, Athenians looked for someone to blame for their loss in the war. As a democracy, many people turned to Socrates for their mistakes in the war because they thought that Socrates “questioned the principles of Athens” and for “corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates stood up for himself but when to trial for these so called “crimes”

Socrates- I am just saying my opinion. I just don’t think we came prepared for the wars with Syracuse and Sparta. I think we should change the principles of Athens to help us fight in war.

Athenian people- Socrates, you are found guilty of your crimes and you are forced into exile

Socrates- I will not accept exile!

Athenian people- Then you will be forced to death

Narrator- So Socrates didn’t go into exile; instead, he was forced to drink a poison called hemlock. The hemlock eventually killed Socrates in the year of 399 B.C. This was officially the end of the Athenian Empire. With two major losses in two major wars, and with two important figures in society dead, there was no more hope for the Athenian people to look forward to.