A Narrative History Detailing Cassander's Settlement of Athens In

CHAPTER SIX

ATHENS AND CASSANDER

6.1 Th e years 317–307: a narrative history

Detailing Cassander’s settlement of Athens in 317, Diodorus (18.74.3 = Demetr. 16A SOD) writes baldly that Demetrius assumed the supervision of the city and ruled in a peaceful and—in relation to the citizens—caring way. In one sense, Diodorus is correct in his assertion that Demetrius’ decade in power proved to be a time of peace for Athens, since no armed confl ict occurred on Attic soil aft er his installation in power. His glanc- ing summary of the regime completely disguises, however, the turmoil and turbulence of the wider Greek world in which Demetrius had to survive. Elevated to power by Cassander, Demetrius’ fortunes and those of Athens were inextricably linked to those of their Macedonian hegemon, and Cassander’s fate was by no means assured. Internecine struggles between the Macedonian Diadochoi were rife in the last two decades of the fourth century, and Cassander was embroiled in these confl icts. Indeed, for much of the period of Demetrius’ rule, Cassander’s position was extremely tenuous, and Demetrius’ own hold on power would oft en have been under threat before his actual expul- sion in 307. Charting Athens’ passage through this decade of strife is one theme of this chapter. Like the period of Antipater’s ascendancy before it, but on a larger scale, the decade of Cassander’s control of Athens allows us to explore the complex dynamic between Macedonian hegemon and subject Greek state. Th e relationship between Cassander and Athens was defi ned among the peace terms of 317: Cassander stipulated that the Athenians be “friends and allies” (Diod. 18.74.3 = Demetr. 16A SOD). Just what that friendship and alliance might mean, in practical terms, is the second main concern here.

Turbulence and upheaval preceded Demetrius of Phalerum’s ascendancy. When he negotiated an accommodation with Cassander for his 242 chapter six native city in early 317, he succeeded in bringing to a close a war that had divided Attic territory for the previous year. Th is achievement is celebrated in a decree that the Attic deme Aixone moved to honour Demetrius shortly aft er the settlement: soIG ii2 1201 (= Demetr. 16B SOD) . . . when a war [arose] in the land and a division existed between [the Piraeus] and the city on account of the [war, by his negotiations] he reconciled the Athenian[s and once again] restored (them) to unity and a state of peace [was procured] for the [A]thenians and their territory. Th e main narrative account of the capitulation of Athens, found in Diodorus, gives a frustratingly inadequate treatment of that war. In fact, Diodorus’ work omits completely the interval spanning from the end of the campaign season of 318 (with Polyperchon’s withdrawal from Megalopolis—above, 38) to the Athenian agreement with Cassander. Th e manoeuvres of the Athenian assemblies which resolved eventually to treat with Cassander are included merely as a brief prospective narrative at the end of book eighteen (18.74.1–3 = Demetr. 16A SOD), in which Diodorus is rounding off Greek aff airs before a turn to Sicilian events in book nineteen: When the Athenians were unable to get rid of the garrison by the aid of either Polyperchon or Olympias, one of those citizens who were accepted leaders risked the statement in the Assembly that it was for the advantage of the city to come to terms with Cassander. At fi rst, a clamour was raised, some opposing and some supporting his proposal, but when they had considered carefully what was the expedient course, it was unanimously determined to send an embassy to Cassander and to arrange aff airs with him as best they could. Th is is all we get from Diodorus; when he focuses again on mainland Greece in any detail (at 19.11.1), he resumes aff airs in late 317, just before the death in Macedon of the king Philip Arrhidaeus in October of that year.1 From this compressed account (which leaves even the timing of the Athenian capitulation unclear), the scope of the war in Attica would appear to have been limited to the occupation of the Piraeus and Munychia by Cassander and Nicanor. But other sources may furnish

1 Th e chronology of the events of the last two decades of the fourth century in general continues to provoke heated debate; for recent contributions to this topic, and in particular on the chronology of the Th ird Diadoch War (below) see Anson 2007, Boiy 2007 and Wheatley 2007.