What is the Melian debate?
The Melians argue that they will have the assistance of the gods because their position is morally just. The Athenians counter that the gods will not intervene because it is the natural order of things for the strong to dominate the weak. The Melians argue that their Spartan kin will come to their defense.
Who wrote the Melian dialogue?
Thucydides
Melian dialogue/Authors
Who was the Athenian historian who considered the problems of might makes right in his Melian dialogue?
By Alexander Kemos. Thucydides, the Ancient Greek historian of the fifth century B.C., is not only the father of scientific history, but also of political “realism,” the school of thought which posits that interstate relations are based on might rather than right.
What is the first thing the Athenians tell the melians as they begin the debate?
-Athenians say that this would be true if Melians were equal to the Athenians, but the Athenians tell the Melians that it is a question of survival or destruction not honor and shame. -Melians say that the fortunes of war could turn against the Athenians and that the Lacedaemonians would come to their aid.
What did the golden age eventually lead to?
The Peloponnesian War marked the end of the Golden Age of Greece, a change in styles of warfare, and the fall of Athens, once the strongest city-state in Greece. The balance in power in Greece was shifted when Athens was absorbed into the Spartan Empire.
What does Melian mean?
: a native or inhabitant of Melos (Mílos)
What ended the Peace of Nicias?
In 423 the two sides agreed to a one-year long truce. After this expired in 422 the Athenians send an expedition to Thrace, under the command of Cleon. This ended in another military disaster, at Amphipolis. Cleon and Brasidas were both killed in this battle, and with them went two of the main obstacles to peace.
Did the Spartans ever come to assist the melians?
Yet the Melians are also correct in trusting their kindred, the Spartans, to ultimately come to their aid. After the fall of their city, the Spartans resettled the surviving Melians on the mainland.
What reasons do the Athenians present for explaining why they are unconvinced by the melians arguments?
By subjugating the Melians, the Athenians hoped not only to extend their empire, but also to improve their image and thus their security. To allow the weaker Melians to remain free, according to the Athenians, would reflect negatively on Athenian power.
What does the phrase might makes right mean?
—used to say that people who have power are able to do what they want because no one can stop them.
What made Pericles a good leader?
Strong Oratory Skills The oratorical skills of Pericles made him an outstanding leader; he had the courage to articulate, the charisma to lead and the ability to convince and manipulate the population.
Why did the Athenians rely heavily on trade?
For what reason did the Athenians have to rely heavily on trade? Because the land around them did not provide enough food for all the city’s people, Athens economy was based on trade. This enabled them to trade with other city-states and with several foreign lands to obtain goods and natural resources that they lacked.