Thetes epibatai in fifth-century Athens?

Abstract

In recent years the traditional view of thētes acting as epibatai in the Athenian fleet in fifth century BC has been strongly challenged by different authors. This issue is broached here by re-examining the ancient sources, as well as other factors like demography (especially in relation to the casualties of the Peloponnesian War) and forms of conscription. Deploying new arguments, it is suggested that some of the members of the census class of thētes might have customarily served as hoplites in the fifth-century Athenian navy, but that manpower shortages during the Peloponnesian War might have modified thfe way in which epibatai were conscripted.