Ochlocracy in Action: The Sicilian Expedition

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Dinesh ^club

It was second-century BCE Greek historian Polybius who coined the word ‘ochlocracy.’ He looked back over five hundred years of Greek political experiment and discerned a cycle (anacyclosis) that went from ‘anarchy’ (no rule) to ‘monarchy’ (rule of one) to ‘aristocracy’ (rule of the best) to ‘oligarchy’ (rule of the few) to ‘democracy’ (rule of the people). Ochlocracy (rule of the mob) followed when a dissatisfied majority looked to populist demagogues for answers.

What happened next in the Peloponnesian War comes straight out of the Polybius playbook. By 415 BCE Athens and Sparta had been at peace for six years, but it was an uneasy truce. When the opportunity arose for the Athenians to support a local revolt against the pro-Sparta rand one keen renew the war, led by Alcibiades. Stoked up by Alcibiades, the Assembly voted to send a large scale expedition to Syracuse. It was a risky move: if it failed, Athens would struggle to defend herself at home rulers of Syracuse on Sicily, the Assembly was split between the “peace party,” led by Nicias and one keen renew the war, led by Alcibiades. Stoked up by Alcibiades, the Assembly voted to send a large scale expedition to Syracuse. It was a risky move: if it failed, Athens would struggle to defend herself at home.

It failed disastrously. From the start, the leadership was divided, with both Nicias and Alcibiades part of the command. Then Alcibiades defected to Sparta which set about reinforcing the Syracusans. The Athenian army and fleet were virtually annihilated. It was the turning point of the whole war, and though Athens continued to fight for another decade, she was fatally weakened. ~ Page 35 / 36

4 weeks ago. Edited 4 weeks ago.

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