Download The Peloponnesian War

I. In the 40 years after the defeat of the Persians,
the Greek world came to be divided into two
camps: Athens and Sparta.
A. Two very different societies, and
able to tolerate the other’s system.
B. This, plus tensions from the Delian
to the outbreak of war in 431 B.C.
neither was
League, led
A. Athens
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Knew could not win in pure
combat
Strong Navy- colonies
Pericles decides to
barricade inside walls of
Athens and let Navy
supply food from colonies.
Also attack Peloponnesian
Coast and shipping
Idea is to wear Sparta
down without fighting, then
go to war with them
B. Sparta
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Attack fields and
villages on the Attic
peninsula
Destroy Athenian
countryside in the hope
of drawing the
Athenian army out for
open battle
Why?
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Plague kills almost 1/3 of Athenian
population, including Pericles.
War continues for 10 years until a truce
signed in 421 B.C.
Until a nephew of Pericles, Alcibiades, took
power and wanted war glory
War broke out again in 415 B.C.
Athenians decided to invade Sicily to get a
supply base and attack Theban city of
Syracuse (sympathetic to Sparta)
Massive defeat- many Athenians killed or sold
into slavery
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Athenian aristocrats seized power, but
overthrown
Democracy restored
 Internal strife weakened Athens
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404 B.C. Athenian food supplies cut off by
Sparta and Persians
405 B.C. Athenian fleet destroyed off
Hellespont
Athens falls to Sparta and her allies
War lasted a total of 27 years