The oligarchic coup of 411
The turmoil in Athenian politics and revenues resulting from the Sicilian defeat
opened the way for some influential Athenian men, who had long harbored contempt for
the broad-based democracy of their city-state, to stage what amounted to an oligarchic
coup d'état. They insisted that a small group of elite leaders could manage
Athenian policy better than the democratic assembly.
Alcibiades furthered their
cause by promising to make an alliance with the Persia satraps in western Anatolia
and secure funds from them for Athens if only the democracy would be overturned and
an oligarchy installed.1 He apparently hoped that the abolition of the democracy would
led to the possibility of his being permitted to return to Athens. He had reason to
want to go home again because his negotiations with the satraps had by now aroused the
suspicions of the Spartan leaders, who rightly suspected that he was intriguing in his
own interests rather than theirs.
He had also made Agis, one of Sparta's two
kings, into a powerful enemy by seducing his wife.2 Alcibiades' promises helped the oligarchical sympathizers in
Athens to play on the assembly's hopes by holding out the lure of Persian gold.
In 411 they succeeded in having the assembly members turn over all power to a
group of four hundred men,3 hoping that this smaller body would provide better guidance for foreign policy
in the war and improve Athens' finances. These four hundred were supposed to choose
five thousand to act as the city's ultimate governing body, but they in fact kept all
power in their own hands. The oligarchic regime did not last long, however. In Athens,
the oligarchs soon lost their unity in struggling with each other for dominance. In
the Athenian fleet, which was currently stationed in the harbor of the island
city-state of
Samos4, a staunch ally of democractic Athens,
the crews threatened to sail home to restore democracy by force unless the oligarchs
stepped aside. In response,
a mixed democracy and oligarchy called the
constitution of the Five Thousand was created,5 which Thucydides praised as “the best form of government that the
Athenians had known, at least in my time.”
This new government voted to
recall Alcibiades and others in exile6 in the hope
that they could improve Athenian military leadership.