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The Battle of Megara was fought in 424
between Athens and Megara, an ally of Sparta. The Athenians were victorious.
Megara was in the country of Megarid, between central Greece and the
Peloponnese. Megara, an ally of Sparta, consisted of farming villages, with
flat plains and foothills, and hosted two harbors: Pagae (modern
Alepochori-Corinthian Gulf) and Nisaia (Saronic Gulf), making it a prime focus
of contention.
Athenian threat:
Attica had been under siege by the Peloponnesian army led by the Spartan king,
Archidamus III. The
land siege kept Athenians stuck in their city. However, with the Peloponnesian
withdrawal, Athens began to attack. From as early as 431, Megara was under
consistent attack from Athens. During the first invasion, Athens brought 10,000
Athenians and numerous allies. Athens then set up a fort on Salamis, near
Nisaia, and created shipping blockades. The blockades delayed imports of food
and supplies to Megara. Megarians still had control of Pagae (their port on the
Saronic Gulf), but Megara was effectively isolated from the western food
supplies. Unable to produce normal proportions of food, the situation was dire
for the Megarians.
Unrest in Megara:
Urged by the Megarian oligarchy in 429, the Peloponnesian fleet attacked the
Athenian fort at Salamis. Unknown to the Peloponnesians, the attack was
revealed to Athens by beacon lights. Athens dispatched a fleet from the
Athenian port of Piraeus. The Peloponnesian attack was abandoned because the
Megarian ships were in a state of disrepair. Under the rule of the pro-Spartan
and pro-Corinthian oligarchy, Megara lost the port city of Minoa to Athens in
427, was a contributing factor in more civil unrest. Megarian revolutions
against the oligarchy began shortly after and Megara became democratic. The
oligarchy were exiled. Many exiles were permitted by Sparta to inhabit the
Boeotian town of Plataea for a year2. Boeotia separated Megara and Athens with
high mountains ranges in the north1. The Spartans were then able to prevent
interactions between Megarian Democrats and Athenians on Minoa2. The exiled
Megarians in Plataea, began northern raids in Megarid and took Pagae. With
oligarch sympathizers still in Megara, the oligarchs returned to Megara in 427,
and democracy collapsed.
Spartan role:
It is suspected that Athens prevented food supplies to gain control of Megara
and prevent further invasions of Attica by the Peloponnesians. However, Athens'
capture of Pylos in 425 detained the Peloponnesian army in Messenia, which
lessened the importance of Megara to Athenians. Athens had also successfully
trapped hundreds of Spartans on Sphacteria. The Spartans removed all military
forces from Messina and arranged a truce. Ambassadors were sent to Athens
without consulting Spartan allies. Athens had extensive demands, and Sparta
requested a private discussion. Spartan allies were uneasy with the scenario.
Megara had a distrust of the Spartans since the Revolution. Megarians feared
that Sparta would turn over Nisaia to the Athenians. Meanwhile, within the
walls of Megara, the Democrats planned to aid Athens in capturing the long
walls of Nisaia. Athens then discredited the Spartan embassy because of its
request for privacy and so the truce failed.
Battle starts:
During the night, Athenians and their allies approached Megara from Minoa and
the road to Eleusis. The plan worked, and the Peloponnesian garrison was
effectively isolated from the city. As morning came, Megarian Democrats
pretended to be outraged by the captured walls. The Democrats encouraged
Megarians to open the city gates and attack the Athenians and then decorated
themselves with oil to be easily distinguished from other Megarians. At the
crucial moment, the plot was uncovered by the Oligarchs, and the gate remained
closed. Athens sensed the change of plan and attacked the Nisaia garrison.
Spartans were taken as prisoners and the Peloponnesians were allowed to ransom
themselves. The Spartan commander, Brasidas, appeared with an army larger than
the Athenians. The two cavalries fought under the walls of Megara.
Resolution:
The Oligarchs opened the gate to Brasidas and their allies. The Athenians
declined to battle with the Peloponnesians. Over time, Brasidas and Athens both
left the city. The Peloponnesian armies stayed.
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