Military commitments and political bargaining in ancient Greece
Walter Scheidel (Standford University)
Princeton/Stanford Working Papers in Classics, November (2005)
Abstract
This paper explores the relationship between military commitments and political bargaining in Greek poleis and beyond. While it is possible to document a number of instances of concurrent political and military mobilization, comparative evidence suggests that state type may be a more important determinant of military mobilization levels than regime type.
I concentrate on several elements of the bargaining hypothesis, especially the relationships between military commitments and political regimes, and between military inducements and political change. I argue that military activity had a critical impact on the development of political institutions. I also hope to show that a broader cross-cultural perspective is required to understand the nature of bargaining processes in ancient Greece.
The memo asks if places that extended citizenship to adult males were more likely to establish navies, or if poleis with navies were more likely to have inclusive citizenship rules. Before we can address these questions, we need to determine if there is a consistent positive correlation between extended citizenship and naval strength. The ‘Old Oligarch’ thought so (with reference to Athens), but the case is by no means clear-cut. Ionia provides two probable matches. Chios was endowed with an unusually large navy, contributing 100 ships at the battle of Lade (494 BCE), more than any other Ionian polis (Hdt. 6.8, 15). It appears to have been a democracy in the second half of the sixth century BCE (Robinson 1997:90-101). On Naxos in the second half of the sixth century BCE, an anti-oligarchic regime mobilized ‘8,000 shields’ and many warships to defend itself against expelled oligarchs (Hdt. 5.30). Given the limited size of this polity, this indicates massive mobilization: Robinson 1997:118 thinks that this may well be a reference to a “full levy from all classes”, and observes that “a large, unevenly equipped citizen levy would be consistent with a newly democratic state under arms. The great number of warships mentioned (ploia makra polla) bespeaks the active service of the poorer members of the populace, also consonant with a state permitting broad political participation.”
Walter Scheidel (Standford University)
Princeton/Stanford Working Papers in Classics, November (2005)
Abstract
This paper explores the relationship between military commitments and political bargaining in Greek poleis and beyond. While it is possible to document a number of instances of concurrent political and military mobilization, comparative evidence suggests that state type may be a more important determinant of military mobilization levels than regime type.
I concentrate on several elements of the bargaining hypothesis, especially the relationships between military commitments and political regimes, and between military inducements and political change. I argue that military activity had a critical impact on the development of political institutions. I also hope to show that a broader cross-cultural perspective is required to understand the nature of bargaining processes in ancient Greece.
The memo asks if places that extended citizenship to adult males were more likely to establish navies, or if poleis with navies were more likely to have inclusive citizenship rules. Before we can address these questions, we need to determine if there is a consistent positive correlation between extended citizenship and naval strength. The ‘Old Oligarch’ thought so (with reference to Athens), but the case is by no means clear-cut. Ionia provides two probable matches. Chios was endowed with an unusually large navy, contributing 100 ships at the battle of Lade (494 BCE), more than any other Ionian polis (Hdt. 6.8, 15). It appears to have been a democracy in the second half of the sixth century BCE (Robinson 1997:90-101). On Naxos in the second half of the sixth century BCE, an anti-oligarchic regime mobilized ‘8,000 shields’ and many warships to defend itself against expelled oligarchs (Hdt. 5.30). Given the limited size of this polity, this indicates massive mobilization: Robinson 1997:118 thinks that this may well be a reference to a “full levy from all classes”, and observes that “a large, unevenly equipped citizen levy would be consistent with a newly democratic state under arms. The great number of warships mentioned (ploia makra polla) bespeaks the active service of the poorer members of the populace, also consonant with a state permitting broad political participation.”
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