The Four Hundred
"The Four Hundred" refers to a brief oligarchic government established in Athens during a turbulent period in the early 5th century BCE, following a failed military expedition to Sicily. The Athenian fleet at Samos, facing dire circumstances, saw a revolt led by Alcibiades, who sought to gain support from Persia in exchange for limiting democratic governance. This led to a coup d'état that resulted in the formation of a Council of Four Hundred, which promised to share power with an assembly of Five Thousand citizens but did not fulfill this commitment. Tensions escalated, including failed diplomatic efforts with Sparta and rumors of betrayal, creating an environment ripe for civil unrest. As a result of military setbacks, particularly a naval defeat, the Four Hundred's rule collapsed, and authority shifted back to a more democratic governance. The legacy of this oligarchy left deep divisions in Athenian society, contributing to the rise of the Thirty Tyrants in the aftermath of the war. Overall, the period of the Four Hundred is marked by political upheaval, broken promises, and a struggle for power that had lasting effects on Athenian democracy.
The Four Hundred
Related civilization: Classical Greece.
Date: spring-summer, 411 b.c.e.
Locale: Athens, Greece
Background
A failed Sicilian expedition (415-413 b.c.e.) left Athens militarily weak and financially desperate.
Action
The revolution began in the Athenian fleet at Samos when Alcibiades of Athens promised to win Persian support for Athens if he was recalled from exile and limits were imposed on the democracy. After fruitless negotiations with the Persian satrap Tissaphernes, the oligarchical leaders broke with Alcibiades and carried through a coup d’état at Athens, putting power in the hands of a handpicked Council of Four Hundred. Their promise to share power with an assembly of Five Thousand (citizens with full rights) was not kept.
Diplomatic missions to Sparta produced no peace agreement but inspired rumors of a plot to betray the harbor of Piraeus. Civil war seemed possible. Under pressure, the Four Hundred agreed to enroll the Five Thousand. After a naval defeat off Euboea, the Four Hundred fell; some leaders fled or were executed. The Five Thousand, led by moderates, soon gave way to full democracy.
Consequences
Bitter memories of 411 b.c.e. continued to divide Athens. After Athens’ defeat, former members of the Four Hundred participated in the Thirty Tyrants.
Bibliography
Kagan, Donald. The Fall of the Athenian Empire. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1987.
Sealey, Raphael. A History of the Greek City States. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1976.
Stockton, David. The Classical Athenian Democracy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.