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Peloponnesian War, 425 BC After the outbreak of the plague and the death of Pericles, the Athenians, at the initiative of General Demosthenes, took the opportunity to sail around the Peloponnese to the Ionian, establish a garrison and fortify the then uninhabited hill of Koriphasios (today Palearokontas) . Rugged wall in the only smooth access on the hill, which to this day is located at its extreme southeast, towards Gialova beach.
The Lacedaemonians, after an initial delay, assess the criticality of the situation created by the presence of the Athenians there as possible asylum for the helots and decide the immediate occupation of the makeshift fortification of Demosthenes. The Spartan hoplites land on the island of Sfaktiria, a land raid is ordered against the Athenian wall from the Gialova beach side, while at the same time an attempt is made to land behind the Athenians on the high seas, which fails due to a extremely inaccessible and inaccessible climate.
The Spartan general Vrasias, in the Spartan fleet’s effort to occupy Pylos from the sea, urged the rulers and helmsmen of the triremes to crash them against the rocks and dare to land, rather than save wood and allow the Athenians to build and maintenance of a fortification. Brasidas forced his helmsman to leave the ship ashore. Advancing towards the dock of the ship and while trying to disembark, the Athenians stopped him and injured him in many parts of his body, he fainted.
As he fell, his shield slid into the sea, which washed him ashore. From there, the Athenians took it and used it in the trophy they mounted, in memory of their success in repelling this attack. Today in the museum of the Stoa of Attalos this shield is exhibited that probably belonged to Brasidas. Fearing the arrival of Athenian reinforcements, the Lacedaemonians began to block the entrance to the Gulf of Pylos by placing triremes in the two passages to the south and north of Sfaktiria. The timely arrival of an Athenian naval force led to a decisive Athenian victory at sea, cutting off the Spartan hoplites who had landed at Sfaktiria.
After a failed attempt at capitulation and the arrival of reinforcements under the command of Cleon, the Athenians will secure the unconditional surrender of the approximately 300 prominent Spartans from Sfaktiria, whom they transported to Athens and kept in public view, debunking the myth they had created. . for the opinion of the Spartans the sacrifice of 300 of Leonidas in the Thermopylae 55 years before.
Under the threat of the permanent presence of the Athenians in the fortification of Koryfasio, which served as a refuge for renegades and raids in Messinia, but also under the weight of internal political pressure for the release of the prisoners of Sfaktiria, the Lacedaemonians. The Athenians peace of Nicaea in 422-421 BC. C., according to which the Athenian fortress on the top of Pylos fell into the hands of the Lacedaemonians.
Source: haanity
