Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.8.3

← 4.8.2 4.8.4 →

Passage 4.8.3: Spartan military strength from Perioikoi, displaced peoples, and Cretan archers.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τέχνῃ μὲν οὖν ἐς τὰ πολεμικὰ ὁμοῦ καὶ μελέτῃ πολὺ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι προέσχον, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τῷ πλήθει· τούς τε γὰρ περιοίκους ὑπηκόους ἤδη καὶ συνακολουθοῦντας εἶχον Ἀσιναῖοί τε καὶ οἱ Δρύοπες γενεᾷ πρότερον ὑπὸ Ἀργείων ἐκ τῆς σφετέρας ἀνεστηκότες καὶ ἥκοντες ἐς τὴν Λακεδαίμονα ἱκέται κατʼ ἀνάγκην συνεστρατεύοντο· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ψιλοὺς τῶν Μεσσηνίων τοξότας Κρῆτας ἐπήγοντο μισθωτούς.

English Translation

Now the Lacedaemonians surpassed their opponents considerably through their skill and experience in warfare, and also through sheer numbers. For they already possessed Perioikoi as subjects and followers; besides, the Asinaeans and the Dryopes, who a generation earlier had been driven from their homeland by the Argives and had come as suppliants to Lacedaemon, had no choice but to join them in their military expeditions. In addition to these, they hired Cretan archers as mercenaries against the light-armed troops of the Messenians.

Proper Nouns

Dryopes (Δρύοπες) person
Cretans (Κρῆτες) person
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Messenians (Μεσσήνιοι) person
Perioikoi (Περίοικοι) person
Argives (Ἀργεῖοι) person
Asinaeans (Ἀσιναῖοι) person
Lacedaemon (Λακεδαίμων) place Q5690 Pleiades
← 4.8.2 4.8.4 →