Garrisons in the Athenian Empire

Abstract

'A0rlPVaioL Te7y 7E P religion, too, may have an important part to play in consolidating various peoples under the rule of a central state. Athens neglected none of these means of securing and extending her authority,' but it is the purpose of this paper to survey the evidence for the specifically military control which she exercised over the allies. The most recent (but very brief) discussion of the subject is by Gomme2 who says: For the Pentekontaitia there is no certain evidence for universal or systematic garrisoning. . While this statement is formally correct, I consider that it implies an under-estimate of the significance of what evidence there is. Thucydides does not dwell upon such military precautions as Athens may have taken to secure her conquests. He does make several definite references to Athenian garrisons, but these references are, for the most part, not to garrisons in towns which had belonged to the Delian League, and gradually found themselves dependent members of a tribute paying empire. Thus, after Tolmides conquered Chaironeia in Boeotia in 447/6, the Athenians withdrew, having established a garrison (I. 113. 1). Its purpose was to protect the city from the anti-Athenian Boeotians whom he had driven out. It is natural to suppose that the new proAthenian leaders in Chaironeia had requested a garrison to support them, inasmuch as Boeotian cities were predominantly oligarchic and antiAthenian. When Perikles was in Euboea following the disaffection of that island, the Megarians revolted and cut off the Athenian garrison