Spartan Mora regiments at Battle of Plataea

[Paralus]

Paralus wrote:

The discontent with Sparta amongst allies such as Thebes and Corinth is marked.

...."Allies" ?????? Surely the use of that word requires some elaboration/qualification ! Say rather 'bitter and jealous rivals', who sided with Sparta temporarily for self-serving reasons, such as 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'. There is a clear differentiation between 'allies' such as the Perioikoi, and makeshift/temporary expediency between the larger Poleis in 'alliance', with all sides cynically knowing the score.

I agree: qualification of the term is warranted.

Corinth, I believe, spent the better part of the "classical" period as an ally of Sparta: a key member of the Peloponnesian League. Thebes had just spent over thirty years as an ally of Sparta: she certainly did not fight on behalf of Athens from 431 onwards. The Perioikoi might well be described as "allies" by Agesilaos and, possibly, his admirer Xenophon. It is rather plain they'd about as much choice in the matter as did the Melians in refusing Athens' advances in 416 or Mitylene in rescinding its "alliance" in 428.

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