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.[14]
Thrasybulus and Theramenes, two prominent politicians who had been ship commanders or trierarchs in the battle and had been assigned to the rescue squadron, soon arrived in Athens. When the generals still at Samos heard the complaints of the Athenians about their rescue efforts, they assumed that Thrasybulus and Theramenes, to protect themselves, had slandered the generals to the government. They accordingly put the blame on Thrasybulus and Theramenes for not carrying out their orders. Now Theramenes, who had not actually accused the generals, put his considerable oratorical skills to blaming them for the failed rescue. The government turned command of the fleet over to Conon, who had been bottled up in Mytilene during the battle, and recalled the eight generals for a hearing. Two of the eight deserted rather than face the uncertainties of a trial, while six reported back to Athens.[15]
In the month of Pyanopsion (October), the six generals made a report to the Council, blaming weather conditions for the failed rescue. But the Council, no doubt concerned with popular anger about the event, ordered them to be imprisoned and held for trial before the Assembly. Although most trials took place in the people’s courts, government officials suspected of major crimes or dereliction of duty could be accused by a process of eisangelia ‘impeachment,’ whereby they had to answer to the whole Assembly for their actions.[16] Such was the case of the generals who fought at Arginusae.
[14].Xenophon Hellenica 1.7.11.
[15].Diodorus Siculus 13.101.1-5. The events of the trial are complex, but Diodorus seems to preserve important facts about the initial stages that Xenophon passes over. See Andrewes 1974; Kagan 1987, ch. 14; Lang 1990; Munn 2000: 181-187; Nails 2002: 79-82.
[16].Mitchell 2015: 211-214 and 197; Harrison 1971, 2: 50-59; Hignett 1952: 233-234; Xenophon Hellenica 1.7.7.