Blockade of Sphacteria
event · 2 works · 2 mentions · 4 anchored passages
blockade of the island · siege of Sphacteria · the affair at Pylos and Sphacteria · the siege of the island
in the texts
Nicias
The extended military campaign to capture the Spartan force trapped on Sphacteria, culminating in Cleon's unexpected success after Nicias resigned command.
After Demosthenes had fortified Pylos, the Peloponnesians came up against it by land and sea, a battle was fought, and about four hundred Spartans were shut off on the island of Sphacteria.
However, this time he had good fortune, served as general most successfully along with Demosthenes, and within the time which he had specified brought home as prisoners of war, their arms surrendered, all the Spartans on Sphacteria who had not fallen in battle.
So when the siege grew longer and longer, and they leaned that their forces were in terrible straits, they were angry with Cleon.
History of the Peloponnesian War
The prolonged Athenian blockade of the Lacedaemonian garrison on Sphacteria, marked by hardship on both sides.
When they heard at Athens the circumstances of the army, that it was thus being harassed, and that corn was thus taken in for the men in the island, they were perplexed, and afraid that winter might surprise them in the blockade.
That the Athenians should allow the Lacedaemonians on the mainland to send over to their men in the island a stipulated quantity of corn, ready-kneaded, viz.
Both sides having returned to their encampment, the Athenians erected a trophy, gave back the slain, secured the wrecks, and immediately began to cruise round the island, and guarded it vigilantly, considering the men as intercepted;