What if...?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Hmmm, I never got that impression, but it has been a while since Iread this stuff! :? ? oops:

[Jona Lendering]

Pericles was top dog I thought

Yes, he was, but he was subject to the democratic process, and could be replaced, something that indeed happened after war broke out. He was able to be reelected, however, and succumbed to the Plague. I think that had he survived the Plague, and had Athens understood the financial consequences of Pericles' strategy, he would have been sent packing a second time.

[Mythos_Ruler]

My point was, Pericles himself would have realized that his strategy was too costly and would have modified it in order to stay in power and keep ahead of the game.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Not that the strategy they followed after him was successful! Too many plotters and wishy-washy voters. Had Alcibiadis been left to command in Sicily, that too would have had a different outcome, I am sure.

[Mythos_Ruler]

Oh, I agree. If you are to institute a bold plan, then you should have a bold commander to carry out those plans.

[Jona Lendering]

Had Alcibiadis been left to command in Sicily, that too would have had a different outcome, I am sure.

I hate to play the role of eternal skeptic, but we must not forget that Thucydides had a different opinion: he implies -using Demosthenes as a sockpuppet- that only Lamachus' plan had any chance of being successful (7.42.3). The proposals of Nicias and Alcibiades were, in his judgment, impractical. Of course Thucydides can be wrong, but it is a judgment that needs to be taken very seriously.

The matter has on several occasions been discussed by Hornblower, most accessibly in his History of the Greek World (in the chapter on the Peloponnesian War of course :wink: ).

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

True, Alcibiadies is painted rather badly by Thucididies. And I'm not so sure he is wrong.....my impression was a little tainted by a good book I read first :lol: but at least it motivated me to read more on the subject! 8)

[geala]

I think Thukydides least reliable parts are the judgements about the generals, still in command while he was forced out.