Anabasis book club questions

The reading plan

Meeting 1: Parts I to II

1. Does higher pay resolve the soldiers' dispute with Cyrus, or merely give them a reason to set it aside?
2. How freely can the Greeks choose to advance when Cyrus reveals his aim and offers rewards?
3. What does Cyrus's intervention in the quarrel suggest about the limits of loyalty within his army?
4. How should readers weigh Cyrus's generous rule against his decision to attack the king?
5. Was Clearchus wrong to trust the assurances, or was seeking reconciliation a reasonable risk?

Meeting 2: Parts III to VII

6. What matters more under repeated attack: a dependable formation or a willingness to change it?
7. What does the guide's escape after a beating suggest about the use of force to secure help?
8. What might sacrifices and games offer soldiers that reaching the sea alone cannot?
9. Is Xenophon's backup route a reassurance or a challenge to the soldiers' choice to seek ships?
10. What makes the peaceful exchange at Cotyora a useful test of Xenophon's leadership?

Meeting 3: Parts VIII to VIII

11. How should an army judge harsh discipline when its commander faces accusations of assault?
12. Does Xenophon's refusal of supreme command strengthen or weaken his claim to be a good leader?
13. What obligations remain between soldiers after their leaders choose separate commands and routes?
14. How should leaders weigh unfavorable sacrifices against the danger of hunger?
15. How far can unpaid wages justify the soldiers' actions in Byzantium?

Themes to talk about

Tips for the host

1. Open each meeting with one question everyone can answer, then go deeper.
2. Anyone who fell behind can catch up with the 15-minute summary.