2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/207691We explain why the maximal positive Lyapunov exponent of classical SU($N$) gauge theory coincides with (twice) the damping rate of a plasmon at rest in the leading order of thermal gauge theory. [This is a substantially revised and expanded version of the manuscript.]18 pages, one figure included as PostScript file, REVTeX, revised version, DUKE-TH-94-73High Energy Physics - Phenomenologytext