58 - Agesilaus I: Persian Expedition
Cost of Glory
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The Gisylaeus' Solution to the Persian Problem and the Greek Problem
Gisylaeus was a member of the Gerusia, an ancient Greek council. Plutarch describes him as being very flattering to those who were inferior in rank to him. He made them his friends and loyal supporters by subtly increasing his own influence. Athens' fatal flaw was the arrogance and unrestrained of its average citizens,. In other words, ruled by a mob. The mob was all for abusing their unlucky inferior subordinate cities; this is what provoked the war which cost them their empire.
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