Alright, here is the final chapter of the third volume. I'm going to take a long rest before I start the fourth volume. But I hope this ties up some loose ends and you enjoyed reading this volume.
*****
Chapter Twenty-Five: Destruction At The Assinarus River.
Nicias’ army marched at first light: eager to get an early start before their pursuers followed them. Nicias had been worried about Demosthenes not keeping up with the pace. The nobleman had sent scouts to check on his colleague but no word had come of his location. Nicias wanted to wait a little bit longer, but was aware that if he lingered at the Erineus it would be Gylippus, instead of Demosthenes, that would meet up with Nicias’ army. As the remains of the expeditionary force lethargically advanced, as they had done so before, Nicias soon realized that it had been a week since they had set out from Syracuse. The Athenian commander shook his head sorrowfully.
“So many good men have died these past seven days,” he muttered mournfully to himself. From the comforts of being horseback the Athenian looking at his exhausted hoplites that were bravely trekking on foot. “Let’s hope that we can find safety before the Syracusians find us,” For the rest of the morning the army travelled at a slower pace than yesterday. However the Athenian strategos was sure that things were going smoothly, although Nicias was worried that Gylippus hadn’t launched an attack, not even a small probing skirmish. Normally the Athenian commander would know if the Syracusians and Peloponnesians were really close, due to nearby dust trails or signs of movement, which would occur around their flanks and rear.
But by midday Nicias would see just what Gylippus and his Syracusian allies had been up to. While the Athenian army advanced along the main road during the morning Gylippus had been planning to cut off their line of retreat. The Spartan knew his Syracusian and Sicel counterparts had extensive knowledge of the terrain and had the numbers to quickly overtake and surround the battered Athenian force. Nicias would realize the severity of his own position, as out of nowhere hidden cavalry and light infantry soon surrounded them. The Athenians saw that their enemy must have used a different path to move about their soldiers, keeping themselves well hidden while tracking Nicias and then launching their attack in an area of their own choosing.
Nicias was impressed at how Gylippus positioned his soldiers with relevant ease. However the Athenian was impressed with his men, who although were frightened and nervous, quickly took up a defensive circle formation with the sick placed in the middle. The Athenians soon waited for the attack, as their shields were locked, their spears protruding outwards towards their foe that had brought them such misery. But the Syracusians brought out a herald on horseback instead of launching an attack. The messenger was in full armour; his battle dress immaculate, no doubt the Syracusians wanted their representative to look presentable when addressing the enemy strategos.
“Soldiers of the Athenian led expeditionary force,” the rider shouted in Greek. “The time has come for you to lay down your arms and stop fighting. Resistance against our vast armies is pointless, resulting in a tragic and avoidable loss of Athenian life. Lay down the banner of hostility and surrender. If you refuse to surrender then you are only prolonging your eventful demise and more of your men will make an premature journey towards the afterlife,” Nicias felt a surge of anger jolt inside him as he looked at the herald’s face. The messenger was smirking, his tone and demeanour one of confidence, thinking that the war was already won. The rider turned his horse towards Nicias as the herald deduced, from the way the nobleman was dressed, that he was the one that led the Athenians.
“You are Nicias, if I’m not mistaken?” the herald enquired.
“I am,” the commander replied.
“My strategos has an important message for you and your men,” the rider grinned.
“Speak or be gone, herald!” Nicias sneered.
“As you wish!” chuckled the Syracusian. “But the message brings you bad tidings, I’m afraid. Demosthenes and his army wisely capitulated to us yesterday afternoon. He and his men laid down their weapons and booty of war. While you crossed the Erineus six thousand Athenian and allied soldiers were captured,” Those soldiers and officers near to Nicias were shocked at this news. They couldn’t believe that one of their most celebrated generals had capitulated along with so many men.
“You’re lying!” Nicias shot back dismissively.
“Send a messenger and you will see that I’m not,” the rider boasted. “Don’t worry about hostilities resuming while your messenger verifies what I just said. We are now at a truce until this parlay is over,” Nicias paused for a moment before ordering a dispatch rider to see whether the herald was telling the truth. After a short while the Athenian horseman arrived back from his journey. The Syracusian messenger smiled when he saw the look on the courier’s face.
“Well?” Nicias asked impatiently. The Athenian rider looked at the herald before answering his commander.
“The Syracusian is telling the truth,” he replied sadly. “I saw large dust trails heading east towards Syracuse. When I investigated further they were unarmed Athenian and allied soldiers under the control of Syracusian guards,” Nicias’ confidence sunk to new depths realizing that his men were now alone in a foreign country. He shuddered to think how the Syracusians would treat Demosthenes.
“Now that the word of Gylippus has proved correct,” the herald said triumphantly. “Will you now surrender your arms and men to us?” Nicias looked towards the rider.
“Tell your Spartan commander that I will surrender…. but on these conditions,” he answered to the annoyance of the Syracusian. However the herald allowed Nicias to air his demands. “I will see that the Syracusians are repaid the amount they had to pay during this war in return for our freedom. You will be paid seeing the Syracusians hold Demosthenes and six thousand men,” The herald paused for a moment before his face turned to one of anger.
“That won’t happen,” he replied forcefully. “My orders are to secure the unconditional surrender of your men. Trying to charm us with elaborate agreements will only lead to the breaking of the truce,”
“Then negotiations are over,” Nicias said bluntly.
“And so with it your hopes of ever seeing home!” the Syracusian concluded as he turned his horse around and headed towards the rear. The rider soon disappeared behind the large ring of Syracusians surrounding the Athenian defensive circle. Before Nicias could give words of comfort to his men he was interrupted by the blast of a war horn. It was soon followed by the sound of horses thundering across the field, which kicked up bits of grass, along with oncoming Syracusian soldiers screaming obscenities at their foe. Slowly the Syracusian ring closed towards the embattled Athenians as Gylippus intended to finish his foe off. It didn’t take long before Nicias’ men felt the brunt of enemy soldiers crashing into their large hoplon shields.
The Athenians in the first two ranks were under intense pressure to hold the oncoming flood of Syracusians coming towards them. But they managed to turn their numerical disadvantage into an opportunity as the Athenians simultaneously opened their shields to push their shields into the unguarded torsos of the enemy. Despite their battle experience over the past two years the Syracusian infantry were still inferior when compared to the disciplined Athenian hoplites. The large amount of Syracusian and Sicel hoplites trying to force a breach into the defensive circle meant they were susceptible to being cut down whenever the Athenians launched a counter push. After two hours of brutal fighting, where the ground and soldiers ran red with blood, the order came for the Syracusian and Sicel hoplites to pull back.
The Athenian hoplites cheered laboriously, for their efforts to fend off the enemy had made them tired, but for now Nicias felt pleased at repelling the enemy assault. However Nicias’ face soon turned into dismay as he saw what Gylippus planned to do next. The bloodied infantry pulled back to their initial starting position, as the cavalry prepared to lead the second attack. But Nicias saw that the horsemen were just standing there, not doing anything, instead of their usual tactic of harassment.
“Why don’t they attack?” wondered Festus, the leading officer of the Mantinean contingent. But soon their curiosity was answered, as several companies of missile troops, ranging from archers to javelinmen and slingers began to support the dangerous Syracusian cavalry. Nicias soon saw that the missiles troops and cavalry would combine to try and breach their line. Gylippus, who could see everything from his tent, was annoyed at how the Athenians had stifled his efforts to wipe them out.
“If I can’t break their resolve by spears and swords,” he said to Hemocrates sitting next to him. “Then I shall break them like the Persians did to my kinsmen at the Hot Gates: by sheer force of missiles,” The Spartan turned to one of the Syracusian commanders and gave a short nod. Once the signals were relayed the archers began to carry out the order. Archers began to nock their bows, javelinmen prepared to unleash their javelins and slingers took their pebbles out. All three components of missile troops that Gylippus had at his disposal began to aim at an enemy soldier.
“Prepare to raise shields!” Nicias barked out the order. The Athenian led army did as they were told and raised their shields to meet the imminent threat. The order to release missiles brought about a sight that was something to marvel and also fear. A multitude of missiles were flung into the air, nearly blocking out the sky when it ascended to his highest point, before descending back down again towards its target. The Athenians stood firm under their shields, as they parried the hail of missiles that were hurtled towards them. However some arrows managed to get past their shields and kill some soldiers. While showers of missiles pinned them down the Syracusian brought their cavalry to bear upon them.
Their riders tried to hammer weak spots within the Athenian circle, trying to use the sheer force of their horses to open a breach. In addition the Syracusians used their cavalry to harass their foe by flinging their javelins at close range, hoping Athenians would be lured out of position, before killing them when they were exposed. But throughout the afternoon and early evening the Athenians were still holding their ground and battling bravely under the leadership of Nicias.
“Hold them!” he roared to his men trying to inspire his soldiers to resist. “Do not break if you want to see your homes again!” The fanatical resistance put up by the Athenians surprised the Syracusians, meaning these soldiers of Attica were able to stand their ground, much to the annoyance of Gylippus. As night arrived, the Syracusians retired back to their hiding positions to rest for the night, while sending scouts to watch the beleaguered Athenians. Nicias inspected the damage that had been wrought today and knew his men were on the brink of the collapse. As the Athenian tended to his light wounds, which were sustained during the battle, he saw the figure of a wounded Festus walk towards him. The Mantinean was exhausted as Nicias.
“How are things developing on your section of the circle?” he asked the Athenian.
“Not good,” Nicias replied grimly. “Supplies are running low after nearly using what was left to repel the Syracusian attack with food and water in short supply. I have no choice but issue the order to breakout at nightfall,”
“But the men are tired, Nicias!” Festus exclaimed. “They can’t take much more of this,”
“I know that!” Nicias shot back loudly, the strain getting to him, before he calmed down. “But we are sitting ducks if the expeditionary force doesn’t move. It’s better to try than to do nothing,” Festus felt uneasy but reluctantly agreed to this order.
“Then let us hope that the gods are merciful to us and the enemy doesn’t ambush us during the night,” the Mantinean hoped.
Within a few hours the Athenians were on the move again. It was a moonless night, which meant traversing through the darkness was almost impossible. But luckily for the expeditionary force their Sicel guides earned their pay by guiding them on the main path towards the river Assinarus. Many soldiers, including Nicias himself, were afraid of marching through the darkness. However the Athenians were bemused that Gylippus didn’t use this perfect chance to attack in the dark and sow utter confusion and disorder. But unbeknownst to the Athenians Gylippus, along with his numerous allied contingents of troops, was aware of Nicias’ movements. They were manoeuvring their regiments and horsemen to launch their trap and knew exactly where the Athenians were going. When morning arrived Nicias was horrified to see his rear and flank be suddenly set upon by a mixture of missile troops, hoplites and marauding cavalry.
“Advance forward!” the nobleman screamed to his hoplites. Panicked Athenians saw the view of the river Assinarus in the distance. Soldiers among the expeditionary force realized the Assinarus was fordable and was a source of drinking water. It didn’t take long for discipline to collapse. Thousands of men whether they were Athenian, soldiers from the empire or independent allies rushed towards the narrow path that lead to the river. They didn’t care that the Syracusians and Peloponnesians were right behind them, as all they cared about was reaching the Assinarus. It soon turned to a debacle. Soldiers were desperate to be the first person to reach the Assinarus and meant thousands of men were squashed along the narrow entrance. Hoplites were trampled under the footsteps of fellow comrades, eager to quench their thirst. Men even brawled with each other over water, as a mass of men descended onto the river.
Some Athenians drowned under the weight of their own equipment and spears accidentally pierced men in the stampede to ford the river or drink its contents. Gylippus could see from the opposite bank the complete disintegration of Nicias’ army. He shook his head, almost feeling sorry for his enemy, as men drank greedily like wild men. The Athenians were unaware that the Syracusians were on their rear and the Syracusian-Peloponnesian army were on the steep opposite bank. Gylippus turned to one of the Syracusian generals and nodded.
From both banks of the river the Syracusian and Peloponnesian unleashed a hail of missiles towards the unsuspecting Athenians. Those who had been drinking happily cried out in agony as several arrows pierced them. Screams and shouts of help reverberated across the river. To make things worse the Syracusians on their rear charged into them along with those soldiers on the opposite bank. The river soon turned red with blood as the Athenians and their allies were brutally cut down. Nicias could only weep with sorrow as his veterans were slaughtered and couldn’t do anything about it.
Numerous soldiers were floating upon the river as the Syracusians began to finish off wounded Athenians. The white flag of surrender soon went up but that didn’t deter some Syracusians exacting their revenge on those who were surrendering. Out of the twenty thousand men that Nicias set out with, just eight days ago, only a thousand stood standing in the bloodied river. A Peloponnesian horsemen that looked impeccably clean, unlike those who had been fighting in the river, addressed the Athenian commander.
“Will you lay down your arms?” demanded the herald.
“I will surrender,” Nicias said reluctantly, his head bowed in shame. “But only under Gylippus,” The Athenian didn’t trust the Syracusians not one bit because he knew their treatment of prisoners would be nothing short of murderous. The Peloponnesian rider nodded in reply as he took the surrender of the now destroyed Athenian expeditionary force. The Syracusians began to ravenously strip the armour, rings and regalia of those that were dead. The Athenian prisoners were robbed of their shields, weapons, armour and booty they had taken previously.
The Syracusians roundly looked at their defeated enemy with scorn and were satisfied of their hated foe’s downfall. The prisoners of war were soon herded back towards the city of Syracuse, as sadistic guardsmen beat up any captive that failed to pick up the pace. Nicias soon realized that the Syracusians, not the Peloponnesians, were in charge of overseeing those that had been interned. The Athenian seethed at being lied to and was worried for Syracuse had suffered greatly and had a burning desire for revenge.
*****
The Syracusians had spent the last two days celebrating at their great victory over the Athenians. After the hangovers and explicit liaisons with women had subsidised a special assembly was called. The audience attending this meeting included the Syracusian nobles, the depleted male citizenry of Syracuse, Gylippus and the navarchs of Corinth who both represented the Peloponnesian League.
“This special assembly has been called here today so to decide upon the fate of seven thousand Athenian and allied prisoners,” spoke the presiding officer of the assembly. “Those who wish to table motions may speak now or hold their tongue,” A Syracusian noble stood up.
“Captives from the states who are part of the so called Athenian Empire and the independent kingdoms who are allies of Athens should be enslaved,” he propositioned. Loud murmurs of agreements came about from the Syracusian section of the audience. Although the Syracusians had won their war of survival against the Athenians it had come at a terrible price. Up to fifteen thousand soldiers, sailors and civilians had been killed over two years and many more had been wounded or sick due to the Athenian blockade. When the Syracusians allowed slaves and people from the poorer districts to enlist into the army it meant there was a dearth of slaves. Enslaving a portion of the prisoners would appease the slave owners and so the motion was easily passed.
“So what will be the predicament of the remaining prisoners that are either Athenian citizens or the Sicilian and Italian Greeks that sided against us?” enquired the presiding officer. “Where will we place them?” The Syracusian commander Sicanus quickly stood up, as he was keen to address his views.
“Let them stay where they are!” he shouted fiercely to great applause from those in attendance. “Then they will know how it feels to be cut off and oppressed!” Gylippus knew the location of those under confinement was filthy. The quarry, north of the city, was a miserable place to live in. The Athenians were crowded in a narrow hole inside the quarries, without any roof to cover them, suffering under the cold nights of early autumn. Gylippus felt a tinge of pity, but it was soon extinguished, as he harked back to the dark days of the war over ten years ago: the debacle at Pylos and Sphacteria. Gylippus knew the Athenians didn’t treat their prisoners as well as they had liked to make out.
He recalled vividly that the four hundred and twenty Spartiates had been paraded in metal cages with the Athenian public looking on in amazement. They jeered the appearance of the Spartiates, whose hair was long and shaggy, mocking and pelting the Spartiates with rotten fruit. They made fun out of the Spartan warrior society they lived in. One Athenian asked if they were so superior then why did their elite training fail them at Sphacteria? So Gylippus didn’t raise any objections when the motion to house the Athenian prisoners in the dirty quarries was passed. The Spartan felt that the Athenians should have a taste of their own medicine.
“And so we turn to Nicias and Demosthenes,” the presiding officer said boldly. “We have managed to capture two of Athens’ most senior figures. But what are we to do with them?”
“I say we put them to death!” roared a Syracusian. Murmurs rippled across the room as this motion was put across. Hermocrates stood up to address the crowd just before Gylippus intended to air his views.
“I say that we keep the two strategos prisoner,” the noble proposed. “There is no need to put them to death,” This was met with raucous anger as Hermocrates was shouted down. Gylippus stood up to speak and was met with a hush of silence that descended across the agora.
“I can understand the motive behind the suggestion that Nicias and Demosthenes be put to death,” the Spartan spoke loudly. “But I want them to come with me where they will be hostages and we can inflict more pain on the Athenians,” Gylippus had several reasons for not wanting to see the captured generals executed. The mothax wanted to receive the accolade of bringing the Athenian commanders to Sparta and bound in chains. Gylippus would rather have Demosthenes face judgement in front of the ephors and assembly in Sparta. It was common knowledge that Demosthenes was Sparta’s bitterest enemy due to the numerous victories he had inflicted over them. Moreover the Spartan commander didn’t want Nicias to die, as although he was their enemy, the sickly nobleman did broker the release of the Spartiate prisoners and help forge the Peace Of Nicias. But the Syracusians, as well as the Corinthians who had a blind hatred of Athens, angrily shouted down Gylippus’ proposal. The behaviour of the Corinthians annoyed Gylippus who thought they were being selfish.
“All those in favour of putting Nicias and Demosthenes to death?” asked the member of the council.
“Aye!” screamed a large majority of the Syracusian and Corinthian attendees.
“All those against?”
“Aye,” said a small handful of men that included Gylippus’ contingent.
“Then the motion is passed,” announced the presiding officer. “Nicias and Demosthenes are to be executed,”
And so in late September the motion was implemented. Nicias and Demosthenes were led out of the city, under a starry night to the plateau of Epipolae, the very same place where they had encamped their army for the majority of the siege. Demosthenes and Nicias walked in stony silence, as they saw the party of archers, along with two fixed wooden poles ahead of them. The two Athenian generals soon realized that they were to be put to death. Their hands were bound onto the poles as the two generals looked at each other and gave nods of farewell. The detachment of archers were soon lined up in front of the two prisoners.
"Ready!" the lead officer of the exeuction shouted out to the archers.
"Aim!" the Syracusian barked, as the breathing of Nicias and Demostheens became rapid.
"Loose!" The sound of releasing arrows was met with a momentary silence before there was a short, but agonizing scream, from the two Athenians. The Syracusian officer quickly finished off the arrow ridden generals, just to make sure they were dead, before Nicias and Demosthenes were hastily buried on the same patch of field they had spent two years trying to conquer the city of Syracuse.
*****
The fortunes of the seven thousand prisoners residing in the quarry were a fate worse than death. Thousands of men were crowded in ghastly conditions as they faced the glare of the sun by day and felt the cold and chilly wind at night. The Syracusians treated their prisoners appallingly, giving the Athenians only half a pint of water and a pint of grain a day: much less than what the Spartan prisoners from Pylos received. Hundreds of men a day succumbed to starvation and illness as the dead were stacked upon several piles. The stench of death and human waste was overbearing to some who soon went mad. What made things worse was that young women, their faces one of unimaginable beauty, would walk on top of the quarries that overlooked the prisoners. Their presence broke the hearts of the prisoners who soon realized that they would never see their home, sweethearts, wives, and children ever again.
Seventy days later, in late November-early December, the Syracusians implemented their plan to transport prisoners so they could be sold into slavery. Those who left the hellish quarry were soldiers from states that were part of the Delian League (a fancy title that was equivocally known as the Athenian Empire) and allied kingdoms such as Mantinea, Argos, Acarnania, Corcyra and Messenians from the garrison of Pylos. Full-blooded Athenian citizens, metics who gained citizenship after immigrating to Athens, Sicilian and Italian Greeks were left in the quarry to rot and die. Only a handful survived their hellish ordeal when they were released after eight months in captivity. Asthenias, the Catanaian who defected to the Athenians, died a few weeks after being captured by the Syracusians at the Assinarus River.
The Sicilian Expedition was a glorious victory for the Syracusians and Peloponnesians but it was a tragic defeat for the Athenian led expeditionary force. Losses for the Athenians were horrific in terms of their navy and army. In terms of men lost on land the toll was high. Ten thousand hoplites had been killed, of which three thousand were full-blooded Athenians, four thousand metics and three thousand consisting from their subject and independent allies.
But naval losses had been heavy, which was almost rare, as the high seas was where the Athenians had forged their empire. Over half of Athens’ battle hardened fleet had been annihilated at Sicily. Two hundred and sixteen triremes, of which one hundred and sixty were Athenian, had been sunk, abandoned or captured by the enemy during the expedition. Approximately thirty thousand rowers, nine thousand thetes and over four thousand deck crew had perished. The cost of naval personnel had been high, especially among the rowsmen, which would be hard to replace for they were the backbone of the Athenian navy.
In late September-early October, when news arrived in Athens of the tragedy in Sicily, the reaction was one of profound shock. It soon turned to mourning and then anger for they had been assured things were going well in Sicily. Many families in Athens had lost a relative or knew someone who had suffered bereavement due to the Sicilian Expedition. The public soon vented their fury at the priests, seers, as well as the soothsayers that had promoted the expedition. Their words of hope, before the expedition had set out from Piraeus two years ago, had inspired the plebeians with the belief that Sicily would be conquered. Now hope was filled with despair, as their enemies were revitalized thanks to the fiasco at Sicily, and fear of defeat soon rippled across the plebeians and aristocrats of Athens.
The future among Athenians was uncertain and many feared what would happen next.
General Rawlinson- This is most unsatisfactory. Where are the Sherwood Foresters? Where are the East Lancashires on the right?
Brigadier-General Oxley- They are lying out in No Man's Land, sir. And most of them will never stand again.
Two high ranking British generals discussing the fortunes of two regiments after the disastrous attack at Aubers Ridge on the 9th May 1915.[This message has been edited by Legion Of Hell (edited 08-30-2010 @ 04:08 PM).]