What the description of Sphacteria has to tell us

[Paullus Scipio]

Giannis wrote:

It'll give you a nice idea of what kind of place we're talking about. And try find some photos on the net(if you haven't already).It's a rocky harsh coast all the way round the outer pasrt of the island. Even today there's only a path on the island!

Paralus wrote:

Not terribly hospitable. It was different in ancient times (water levels and amount of siltation in the bay etc) though. I noticed the one path.

Thuc (IV.29)

....He (Demosthenes)had been much encouraged by a fire which had taken place in the island. It had previously been nearly covered with a wood and was pathless, having never been inhabited; and he had feared that the nature of the country would give the enemy an advantage. For, however large the force with which he landed, the Lacedaemonians might attack him from some place of ambush and do him much injury. Their mistakes and the character of their forces would be concealed by the wood;....

Clearly, apart from the path/track and the odd building little has changed....RAT member Dan Diffendale's photos on Google Earth are very useful.... the island is only 500 metres or so wide at it's narrowest point.