The heavy losses in the subsequent battle at Corcyra can be attributed to an insufficiently radical decision in this matter.įinally, Athens had a peace treaty with Sparta and its allies, which included Corinth. Refusing, as noted in the Corcyran appeal, would allow the fleet to be seized by Corinth and used against Athens 5. Accepting would mean gaining the use of this asset at the cost of committing to opposing Corinth and likely escalating the situation prematurely. Athens had to consider this fleet as an asset in the upcoming conflict. Although it was a significant power in the region at the time, its fleet was insufficient to resist a directed offensive. The second consideration was Corcyra’s emergence as a naval power and proposal of allegiance to Athens.
However, morals are a minor element in geopolitical decisions, and the influence won with Corinth is of questionable value to Sparta and the rest of its alliance. Siding with Corinth over this claim could have allowed Athens to ease the existing tensions with the Peloponnesians and possibly avoid the conflict’s escalation entirely. Although the politics and events surrounding the Epidamnus situation were complex, the Corinthians were justified in blaming Corcyra for only intervening after the colony had declared Corinth it is champion. First was the moral decision of who the aggressor was in this conflict. When considering the appropriate response to these appeals, the Athenian powers were faced with a challenging choice. Thucydides argues that the Athenians viewed war with the Peloponnese as inevitable and, therefore, chose to support Corcyra, though only defensively, to negate their potential opponents’ advantage, should they claim the independent power.
Corinth’s statement blamed Corcyra for this conflict and constituted an ultimatum: allying with Corcyra would break an existing treaty and provoke Corinthian aggression 4. The Corcyran appeal described them as the offended party, suggested that Corinth, supported by its Peloponnesian allies, would capture Corcyra and proceed with an offensive against Athens.
0 kommentar(er)
