The Megarian Decree

• During the First Peloponnesian War, Megara had defected from the Peloponnesian League to the Delian League, and then back to the Peloponnesian League just before the end of the war. The Megarians had committed sacrilege by cultivating sacred land, and, in response, the Athenians banned Megara from trading with any Athenian ally
• The Megarians, though, claimed that the embargo would cripple them and create famine. They went to the Spartans, who decided that, having heard complaints from Corinth and now Megara, they would call a conference to decide how to react to Athens. They told the Athenians that, unless they lifted the embargo, they'd go to war
• Thucydides was very biased in favour of Athens, believing the Megarian Decree to be an excuse to go to war

Modern Interpretations

• Many historians, such as Robinson and Hornblower, believe that the decree was meant to economically ruin Megara, and that the Athenians were the aggressors
• Others, mainly de Ste. Croix, believe that the decree was relatively minor, and that the Peloponnesians made such a big deal out of it as an excuse to go to war. This view is shared by Thucydides

1. To what extent could Pericles and the Athenians be blamed for causing the war because of the decree?
• Thucydides: Pericles didn't want to make any concessions to Sparta and the Athenians were mostly against repealing the decision - The Megarians had cultivated sacred land, Sparta were going to war over a 'trifle' - the Spartans repeatedly refused to submit to arbitration and just pushed for war over Megara
• Aristophanes: Pericles did cause the famine, though his reasoning is made up for comedic effect - Pericles was upset that Megarians had stolen some prostitutes of Aspasia's so he invoked the Megarian Decree as a punishment - "Olympian Pericles" was too proud to revoke the decree and forced the Spartans, as the Megarians were starving
• Plutarch: Claims the decree was due to imperialistic ambitions of Pericles - wanted to punish Megara for defecting from the Delian League and his stubbornness forced the Spartans into war
2. What are the limitations of the ancient sources for understanding the significance of the Megarian Decree?
• Thucydides was a pro-Athenian general, Aristophanes was a comedian and Plutarch was not a contemporary historian