The Phyle Campaign (404–403 BC) was an Athenian civil war that resulted in the overthrow of a

Spartan Sparta was a prominent city-state in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement in the valley of Evrotas river in Laconia, in southeastern Pe ...

imposed oligarchy on

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

(see

Thirty Tyrants The Thirty Tyrants (, ''hoi triákonta týrannoi'') were an oligarchy that briefly ruled Classical Athens, Athens from 404 BC, 404 BCE to 403 BC, 403 BCE. Installed into power by the Sparta, Spartans after the Athenian surrender in the Peloponnesian ...

) and the restoration of

Athenian democracy Athenian democracy developed around the 6th century BC in the Ancient Greece, Greek city-state (known as a polis) of Classical Athens, Athens, comprising the city of Athens and the surrounding territory of Attica, and focusing on supporting lib ...

Prelude

The Thirty were short of funds and this led them to persecute wealthy Athenians of whatever political views. Many fled to Boeotia and

Corinth Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...

who offered asylum in defiance of Sparta.

The campaign

The Thirty Tyrants had left Athens' border forts ungarrisoned, both out of deference to Sparta and because of their cash shortage. This allowed a group of Athenian exiles to seize the fort of Phyle in 404/403 BCE. The leader of the exiles, initially only some 70 strong, was Thrasybulus, who had a reputation as a moderate democrat, and thus was ideal to unite all democratic opponents of the Thirty. A force of Athenian cavalry and Spartans was sent against Phyle, but was defeated in two surprise attacks by Thrasybulus at the Battle of Phyle. Thrasybulus then marched on Piraeus and defeated the force the Thirty sent against him at the Battle of Munychia. Sparta first responded by sending

Lysander Lysander (; ; 454 BC – 395 BC) was a Spartan military and political leader. He destroyed the Athenian fleet at the Battle of Aegospotami in 405 BC, forcing Athens to capitulate and bringing the Peloponnesian War to an end. He then played ...

with a force of mercenaries who clearly intended simply to restore the Thirty to power. Very quickly, however, Sparta sent King Pausanias with a levy of the

Peloponnesian League The Peloponnesian League () was an alliance of ancient Greek city-states, dominated by Sparta and centred on the Peloponnese, which lasted from c. 550 to 366 BC. It is known mainly for being one of the two rivals in the Peloponnesian War (431–4 ...

. Pausanias defeated the democrats in the Battle of Piraeus. However he opened negotiations and accepted the restoration of democracy, nevertheless insisting on the separation of Eleusis as a safe haven for the oligarchs.

Aftermath

Lysander's faction at Sparta was furious and along with King Agis brought Pausanias to trial to the end of 403 BCE. The exact charge is uncertain but the essence was presumably that he had been soft on Athens. Fifteen of the

Gerousia The Gerousia (γερουσία) was the council of elders in ancient Sparta. Sometimes called Spartan senate in the literature, it was made up of the two Spartan kings, plus 28 Spartiates over the age of sixty, known as gerontes. The Gerousia ...

, including Agis, voted guilty, but fourteen Gerousia, as well as all five

Ephor The ephors were a board of five magistrates in ancient Sparta. They had an extensive range of judicial, religious, legislative, and military powers, and could shape Sparta's home and foreign affairs. The word "''ephors''" (Ancient Greek ''éph ...

s, voted not guilty so he was acquitted.

Notes

Bibliography

* {{Ancient Greek Wars, state=autocollapse 400s BC conflicts Civil wars of antiquity Wars involving ancient Athens Wars involving Sparta 404 BC 403 BC