Any Way For the Athenians to Win the Lamian War?

The Treachery at Amorgos of the Athenian Trierarchs, which sold away the Athenian navy and free government, was, for all intents and purposes, the end of the democracy, the thalassocracy, Athenian importance, and the age of free states. The numbers weren't the real issue, the Athenian Navy had fought its way to victory against humbling odds before. Is there any way more loyal commanders could have been elected, or the Lamian War inspired more patriotism among the wealthy who would have been eligible for the Trierarchate?
 
If the Athenians can finish the job at Lamia, they can very much outlast the rest of the war if only because everybody would be too busy fighting each other. Meaning Athens could be a useful ally...
 

tenthring

Banned
The Greek city state system couldn't scale up to the empire level, and things were headed in the empire direction. If not the Macedonians then the Romans (who themselves lost their representative government when they got to big).
 
If the Athenians can finish the job at Lamia, they can very much outlast the rest of the war if only because everybody would be too busy fighting each other. Meaning Athens could be a useful ally...

How about having Antipater, rather than his Athenian counterpart, killed in the Siege of Lamia, and it falls in the aftermath. Any ideas for some naval PODs?
 
How about having Antipater, rather than his Athenian counterpart, killed in the Siege of Lamia, and it falls in the aftermath. Any ideas for some naval PODs?

The Athenians can win at sea easily enough. A victory at Amorgos (or, really, the Hellespont, since the first battle is what allowed the Macedonians to cross) against Cleitus The White is certainly a possibility-the Athenians had somewhere in the vicinity of 170 ships at their disposal (they actually had around 240-400 ships available, but only had the manpower for 170) compared to 240 for Cleitus, but the battle was by no means unwinnable.

The problem however was the Athenian commander, Euetion. The circumstances surrounding the battle (i.e. Athens barely suffering any losses yet still fleeing in defeat) suggest Euetion sided with anti-war elements in the city. It is possible he struck a deal with Cleitus. I'm not sure who you replace him with-Athens had no shortage of fiery statesmen in this period, but they were distinctly lacking in generalship. Perhaps another mercenary commander can fit the bill, and pull off a stunning victory.

Have that happen, and the Macedonians can't cross. At that point, it's a waiting game. Once things go to hell in a handbasket and the Diadochi start eating each other alive, Athens is suddenly a valuable ally to an aspiring dynast if they play their cards right...
 
The Greek city state system couldn't scale up to the empire level, and things were headed in the empire direction. If not the Macedonians then the Romans (who themselves lost their representative government when they got to big).

On the contrary, it was the failure of the Macedonians to defeat the various Greek confederations that allowed for Roman intervention in the first place. Actually, the failure of Antipater and co. to take out the Aitolian League when they were prepared to deliver their knockout blow, choosing instead to deal with their fellow dynasts first, gives good insight into how Athens can weather the storm. They just have to last long enough until the empire implodes in civil war. Then the dynasts are too worried about each other to focus on destroying Athenian (and Aitolian, and Achaian) power. Rather, you'll see a similar scenario to OTL, except with the Greek states playing a more active rather than passive role: The various dynasts jockeying for influence and alliances over the various greek polities to undermine their rivals or protect their flanks.
 
The Athenians can win at sea easily enough. A victory at Amorgos (or, really, the Hellespont, since the first battle is what allowed the Macedonians to cross) against Cleitus The White is certainly a possibility-the Athenians had somewhere in the vicinity of 170 ships at their disposal (they actually had around 240-400 ships available, but only had the manpower for 170) compared to 240 for Cleitus, but the battle was by no means unwinnable.

The problem however was the Athenian commander, Euetion. The circumstances surrounding the battle (i.e. Athens barely suffering any losses yet still fleeing in defeat) suggest Euetion sided with anti-war elements in the city. It is possible he struck a deal with Cleitus. I'm not sure who you replace him with-Athens had no shortage of fiery statesmen in this period, but they were distinctly lacking in generalship. Perhaps another mercenary commander can fit the bill, and pull off a stunning victory.

Have that happen, and the Macedonians can't cross. At that point, it's a waiting game. Once things go to hell in a handbasket and the Diadochi start eating each other alive, Athens is suddenly a valuable ally to an aspiring dynast if they play their cards right...

The bit about the commander was my point in the OP. I can't find any plausible mercenary alternatives, but they probably existed.
 
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