Download PELOPONNESIAN WAR:

PELOPONNESIAN WAR:
ATHENS vs. SPARTA
 alliances
o Athenian League = northern & eastern shores of Aegean
o Peloponnesian Alliance (Peloponnese Region of southern Greece) = led by
Sparta, central Greece, Corinth (naval)

strengths:
o Athens = naval (triremes)
o Sparta = land
PRE-WAR
 499-449 = allies in Greco-Persian Wars
 Athenian & Spartan preeminence in Greece
 Athenian wealth from tributes (war chest)
 in-fighting
 445: truce: 30 Years’ Treaty
OUTBREAK
 Athens’ alliance w/Corcyra, important colony in Corinth
 Spartan fear of growing Athenian power & wealth
 fighting & Athenian breaking of 30YT
 Pericles (Athens’ leader) won’t back down
 diplomatic breakdowns
WAR
 431: Thebes (Spartan Alliance) attacks Plataea (Athenian League)
 431-421:
o Sparta (Archidamus) attacks Attica
o Athens (Pericles) refuses to use army, uses navy
o plague – in Athens –decimates armies & civilians & morale
o Spartan losses at sea, west
o Lesbos revolt (428) – tributary of Athens, aided by Spartans, squashed by
Athens
o Athenian victories in Syracuse (425) & Spartan near-defeat
o Battle of Delium (425) Spartan rebound (under Brasidas)
 421-415:
o Peace of Nicias (Brasidas’ successor)
o 6-yr. peace (diplomacy, w/squabbles)
 415-404:
o Athenian attack of Sicily
o several defeats, navy destroyed as retreated
 413: Athenian naval debacle at Sicily (Syracuse)
o 411: Athens in turmoil
 from democracy
 to oligarchy
 to The Five Thousand regime
 to democracy
o rebuilt navy, ignored suits for peace, more naval battles
END
 405: destruction of Athenian navy at Aegospotami by Lysander (aided by Persians)
 404: blockade, burned crops  starvation  surrender
o http://etc.usf.edu/maps/pages/800/843/843.htm
o http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/449362/Peloponnesian-War
o http://www.history.com/topics/peloponnesian-war