19.3 The Outcry over Arginusae

The victory at Arginusae should have been a cause for general rejoicing at Athens, and no doubt it was for a few days. But when the news spread that few survivors or bodies of the dead had been recovered, there was consternation. The recovery of bodies was almost as important to Greeks as of survivors, for it was the patriotic and religious duty of the living to give the dead a proper burial. After every land battle, a truce was made which allowed both sides — especially the losers, since the winners usually controlled the battlefield — to recover the bodies of their dead and give them proper burial. After most sea battles, it was a relatively easy matter to pick up survivors and bodies. But the violent storm that broke at the close of the Battle of Arginusae had made normal operations impossible. The generals communicated this information to the Athenian government, but many citizens were dismayed. The losses were huge: the crews of 25 ships sunk amounted to 5,000 men lost, with only a few lucky exceptions, such as a sailor who was able to use a floating tub as a lifeboat. <a href="https://medium.com/the-first-philosophers/19-3-the-outcry-over-arginusae-1a383970a0f1">Read More</a>