The Athenian Regulations for Samos (IG I3 48) Again

Abstract

The Samian War of 441–439 BC ended in the complete defeat of the Samians by their Athenian allies. The remains of their peace treaty are preserved in several fragments. This treaty has long presented problems for scholars of the Athenian Empire; it appears to show a great deal of unexpected leniency on the Athenians’ part towards the Samians. It also suggests that the Athenians established a democracy on Samos at the end of the Samian War, which is not supported historically. In fact, I believe that this impression is based upon an erroneous restoration of the text on the stone. H. T. Wade-Gery and B. D. Meritt restored the stone on a 35-letter line length, largely to make sense of a strategic list at the end of the decree. I follow other scholars in suggesting a longer line-length is not only feasible, but preferable, since it removes several of these historical puzzles.