Espionage and Treason in Classical Greece

This book examines espionage and intelligence gathering in ancient Greece. The author focuses on proxenoi—honorary ambassadors in Greek city-states—and argues that they also ran intelligence networks and would sometimes work directly against their home polis.

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This history of ancient diplomacy demonstrates how the ancient Greeks used guest-friendship as a mechanism of diplomacy. Ancient proxenoi were the equivalent of contemporary consul-generals and they served some of the same purposes. The proxenoi conducted the diplomatic affairs of the state they represented and looked after the interests of the city-state that had adopted them. In times of war the proxenoi maintained spies and supplied intelligence on the movements of fleets and armies.