Were there any wars in ancient Greece where religion played a major part?

Question

From Andrew Roberts’ *Napoleon: A Life*, on the 1803 outbreak of war between Britain and France, after Britain demanded Malta and Napoleon then wanted to know whether this demand was an ultimatum threatening war: > In fact Whitworth [the British ambassador to France] merely asked for his passports, the traditional ambassadorial request prior to a declaration of war. This passage from the same book, about a later war, suggests that asking for passports isn’t merely a symbolic gesture, but associated with leaving the country: > Metternich [Austrian ambassador to France] remained in Paris until the last possible moment before requesting his passports, perhaps in order to continue gathering secret intelligence. Indicating that a request for passports doesn't necessarily mean war, although supporting the idea that they are usually connected, Tolstoy writes in *War and Peace*: > Balashev [a Russian envoy to the invading French] recovered himself and began to speak. He said that the Emperor Alexander did not consider Kurakin's demand for his passports a sufficient cause for war; that Kurakin [the Russian ambassador to France] had acted on his own initiative and without his sovereign's assent, that the Emperor Alexander did not desire war, and had no relations with England. This also comes up in British ambassador Edward Goschen’s account of the outbreak of WWI: > I said that in that case [Germany refusing to withdraw its troops from Belgium] I should have to demand my passports. After expressing his deep regret that the very friendly official and personal relations between us were about to cease, [Arthur Zimmermann, German Under Secretary of State] asked me casually whether a demand for passports was equivalent to a declaration of war. I said that such an authority on international law as he was known to be must know as well or better than I what was usual in such cases. Are these “passports” the equivalent of what we today understand to be passports? If so, why are the diplomats asking a foreign government for their passports? As far as I can tell, passports have always been issued by the bearer’s own government, and not by the country they are visiting. This I think would be even more true for diplomats, who are even less subject to the jurisdiction of the country they are visiting than ordinary tourists. Could these so-called “passports” be what we today call an “exit visa”, sometimes issued to visiting aliens? As far I can tell, exit visas are a 20th century concept. And if these “passports” are exit visas, that just raises further questions: How would a country replace its ambassador with another one without accidentally declaring war? Did John Adams risk war with France when he left for Holland? etc. And why is “passports” used in the plural in all these passages?

Answer 1

One popular example of "religious impiety" was during the Invasion of Sicily (415-413 BC) during the second half of the Peloponnese War. While the war began over Sparta's fear over Athenian hegemony in 431 BC, the war had come to a standstill in the 420s. Athen's pride & glory, her navy & sea walls, prevented Sparta from maintaining an effective siege of the city. That said, Sparta was able to regularly raid Attica, forcing a sizeable portion of Athen's population to retreat & live within the city. By 421 BC, following the infamous Plague of Pericles, pro-peace factions on both sides agreed to a "Fifty Year Peace" named the Peace of Nicias. So how does religion play a role? Well let us introduce Alcibiades, our hero or villain, depending on the time of day.

Within Athens there was divisions in the Ecclesia between the pro-war party led by the young & aggressive Alcibiades, and pro-peace party led by the elder Nicias (whose peace agreement had ended the first part of the War). Alcibiades was able to convince the Ecclesia that Athens should get involved in a distant proxy war on the island of Sicily and establish Athenian hegemony there. Naturally, this would undo the peace Nicias had labored hard for, as well bringing in a neutral Syracuse & Sparta closer in alignment. But, caution be damned, the Ecclesia voted to support Alcibiades's campaign (ironically having Nicias go with Alcibiades to unite the pro-war & pro-peace factions in Athens).

However, before Alcibiades & Nicias left, an enormous religious scandal erupted in Athens that would ultimately change the fate of the Peloponnesian War. The main issue: A broken Herma. A Herma (for those unfamiliar) was a popular statue of good-omen (possibly affiliated with the God of Traveling, Hermes) & the destruction of one was seen as a ill-fate before such a major military expedition. The blame for this impious act would ultimately fall on our aggressive young leader, Alcibiades, who naturally denied such action & argued to stand trail immediately. If found guilty, Alcibiades would be executed for such an impious act; the Ecclesia ultimately punted, stating that Alcibiades could first go on the expedition & then return after its success to stand trail.

So all is well, and life goes on? Not so fast! Alcibiades had many political enemies, who as soon as Alcibiades disappeared off the horizon, began to labor for his demise. By the time Alcibiades & Nicias approached the coast of Sicily, the Athenian Ecclesia had turned on Alcibiades and demanded his immediate return for trail (without his military & political supporters of course). Alcibiades, sensing a trap, agreed, only to escape on his own ship, resulting in the Ecclesia voting to sentence Alcibiades to death in his absence.

Well, we can't expect Alcibiades to do nothing can we? For while he would deny ever doing such a religiously impious action, that does not mean he gave up on his political ambitions. Exiled by his mother country, Alcibiades would go to Athens arch rival, Sparta, and reveal the Athenian plans for Sicily. Alcibiades' betrayal would convince Sparta to aid Syracuse against Athens, lead to the destruction of Nicias & the Sicilian Expedition, and re-open the Peloponnesian War for another 16+ years of violence. All thanks to the destruction of a statue! Who knows how the Peloponnesian War may have changed if that Herma had never been destroyed.

Anyhow, I hope this answer is sufficient to see how religious piety played a key role in the psyche & judgement of Classical Greece. There are many other examples, from the Illiad to the parentage of Alexander the Great.

Regards,