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BACKGROUND GUIDE
CONFLICT COUNCIL:
THE CABINET OF THE PELOPONNESIAN
WARS: A HISTORICAL CRISIS
SIMULATION
WELCOME FROM THE DAIS
Salutations and welcome to the Cabinet of the Peloponnesian Wars: A Historical Simulation.
The Peloponnesian Wars were a set of extremely complex affairs which set the table for an
entirely new order in Ancient Greece. War is a savage thing, however preparing for war is not as
easy as putting pen to paper. In this simulation, Delegates will be focusing on relations between
Athens, Sparta and the rest of the Ancient World, domestic policy-making and diplomacy. This
committee will also focus on tactics to prevent the Peloponnesian War, however if war does
indeed break out then the committee will turn its focus on discussing the aftermaths of the war
and rebuilding the nation.
We have prepared for you an intensive, comprehensive discussion on the essence of war and
how to rebuild an entire society after it ends. Throughout the conference, your experience will
be brought to you by our experienced and very enthusiastic team:
My name is Alif Shahed, this committee’s director. I’m a senior studying History, Law,
Philosophy and the Liberal Arts at R.H. King Academy, and I indulge myself in Historical and
Literary texts. I’ve been a fan of Ancient History since the beginning of my High School career,
always interested in the politics of Ancient Greece and its relations with the rest of the Ancient
World. Thankfully I’ve been able to combine my love for History and Politics with my other
passion, Model United Nations.
Jessica Hennings will be the moderator of this committee. She is currently a Junior at R.H. King
Academy, with her favourite course being Ancient History. History has always fascinated her,
and she enjoys learning more about it whenever she can. The politics and international
relations of the ancient world are topics of interest for her, and with her guidance this
committee will be extremely exciting and thought provoking. Model United Nations is another
one of her passions and she cannot wait to see both areas of interest combined into one.
Sahar Dadabhoy is a senior at R.H. King Academy, studying the Social Sciences and the Arts with
an interest in History. She is acting as crisis manager this year for the Cabinet of the
Peloponnesian Wars. Sahar has attended nothing but crisis simulations since her first
conference and is adequately trained in the logistics behind this simulation.
Together, we’ve spent countless hours researching and writing this background guide and
preparing you for this topic in general.
May Apollo bless Greece with endless sunshine for eternity!
ATHENS AND SPARTA
The Athenian empire included most of the island and coastal states around the Northern and
Eastern shores of the Aegean Sea. Sparta was the leader of an alliance of independent states
that included most of the major land powers of the Peloponnese and central Greece, as well as
the sea power Corinth. The Athenians had the stronger navy and the Spartans had the stronger
army. The Athenians were better prepared financially than the Spartans, owing to the large war
chest they had amassed from the regular tribute they received from their empire. Athens and
Sparta had fought each other before the outbreak of the Great Peloponnesian War but had
agreed to a truce (known as the Thirty Years’ Treaty) in 445. In the following years their
respective blocs observed an uneasy peace. The events that led to renewed hostilities began in
433, when Athens allied itself with Corcyra, a strategically important colony of Corinth. Fighting
ensued, and the Athenians then took steps that explicitly violated the Thirty Years’ Treaty.
Sparta and its allies accused Athens of aggression and threatened war. On the advice of
Pericles, its most influential leader, Athens refused to back down. Diplomatic efforts to resolve
the dispute failed. Finally, in the spring of 431, a Spartan ally, Thebes, attacked an Athenian Ally,
Platea and the open war began.
Delegates will be representing Spartan and Athenian generals, politicians, royalty as well as
diplomatic representatives from the surrounding areas such as Corcyra, Corinth and Persia.
Key things you should keep in mind are:
- Is war justified?
- How could the Peloponnesian War have been prevented?
- How can Greece rebuild itself after the Peloponnesian War?
- How can it be assured that such a bloodbath never happens again?
Remember comrades, history is in your hands . . .
BACKGROUND
Persian invasions have unified Greek city-states but, with Persian defeats and the liberation,
this threat disappears. Greek armies fighting to liberate Ionia opt for Athenian leadership, when
Pausanias is recalled to Sparta for treason and Sparta withdraws its armies back to
Peloponnesus. In 478 the Delian League is created by Athens as a collection of equal Polei
becomes dominated by Athens. With the Delian League, Athens now controls shipping in
Aegean. In 479 Athens begins building long walls around the city-state in order to strengthen
the city’s defenses and in 477 Athens rebuilt the long walls connecting them with the Port of
Piraeus. This is accomplished by Themistocles, who stalls Spartans long enough to erect walls.
This arouses suspicions of Spartans who already fear Athenian democratic example and control
of economically powerful Delian league. The Athenians’ contempt for Sparta’s institution and
its treatment of the Helots also increases.
An increase in Athenian control over all maritime commerce leads to war with Corinth. This
precipitates the beginning of the Peloponnesian War. In 457, Sparta and Thebes join Corinth
against Athens, with Persia aiding the Spartans. After the initial defeat at Tanagra, Athens
crushes Thebes and wins other land and sea engagement against the Peloponnesian League,
this success is largely due to the leadership of Pericles. In 445, Sparta turns the tide and “Thirty
Years Peace” treaty is signed between Athens and Sparta. This creates a balance of power
wherein neither Greek alliance is powerful enough to destroy the other. This marked the end of
the first Peloponnesian War.
Not everything stayed well for long between the Delian and Peloponnesian League, even with
the signing of the treaty. In 440, Samos is crushed for leaving the Delian League. War between
Corinth and Corcyra over Western Sea routes brings Athens in side of Corcyra and later Sparta
and the Boeatians on side of Corinth.
Pericles’ strategy of retreating behind “long walls” is adopted as Spartans ravage Attica.
However, Athenian control of seas permit grain and other imports to still flow into Athens.
Plague strikes overcrowded Athens in 430 and lasts until the following year. During this, Pericles
dies and is replaced by Cleon. A two year battle pursues wherein Platea is besieged by Sparta
and Thebes, with the inhabitants massacred. Athens crushes revolts on Corcyra and Lesbos
(Mytilene). Cleon urges massacre of the city of Mytilene and boats are dispatched. Athenians
recant and send another ship to stop the first. Ultimately the Peloponnesian coast is ravaged by
Athenians with 292 Spartan hoplites taken prisoner on island of Sphacteria.
In 423 the Spartan general Brasides attacks the Chalcidire peninsula and his successes are only
halted when Thucydides arrives with an Athenian fleet. At the battle of Amphipolis in 422, both
Cleon and Brasides are killed. With this, the Peace of Nicias brings a brief pause in hostilities
and the Spartans regain complete control of Peloponnesus while Alcibiades comes to power in
Athens.
With the urging of Alcibiades, Athens embarks on a great military expedition against Syracuse
to secure the western Greek world. However, Alcibiades is recalled to Athens to stand trial for
treason but escapes to Sparta. The cautious Athenian general Nicias fails in his efforts to take
and completely besiege Syracuse. The Spartan general Gylippus is sent to lead defence of
Syracuse and the Athenian fleet and army are destroyed. Nicias is executed and Greek prisoners
are forced to work in stone quarries as slaves.
The Spartans gives the Ionian cities to Persia in exchange for financial aid in 412 while Athens
introduces oligarchy. The Athenian army in Samos revolts and returns Alcibiades to power. In
411, democratic rights in Athens are broadened and Alcibiades is elected strategos and defeats
Spartans at Cyzius but rejects Spartan peace offer. The Athenian felet at Notium is defeated and
Alcibiades is once again removed from office. In 406, Athenian fleets are victorious at Arginusae
but admirals are executed (because the shipwrecked crews are not rescued) despite protests of
Socrates. In 405m the Spartans (under Lysander) are victorious at Aegospotami. In 404, Athens
is besieged and conquered. Sparta imposes peace conditions, among these being: “long walls”
must be dismantled, the Delian League must be dissolved, and “Thirty Tyrants” are to rule
Athens.
Some of the consequences of war are Sparta and Athen’s fiscal crisis, Persia’s gain at Greek
expense, and that Thebes will grow in power and influence and will eventually eclipse Sparta
and Athens.
This is a brief background on the Peloponnesian War, and although delegates are not expected
to be an expert on this topic they are expected to have a general knowledge; no one is
expected to follow this by the textbook.
THE OTHER CITY STATES
AMPHIPOLIS
Amphipolis was originally an Athenian colony, but it was besieged by Sparta in 424. Sparta was
able to capture Amphipolis. There was a brief armistice between Athens and Sparta, but in 422
many Athenian allies arrived in Thrace to take back Amphipolis. A bloody battle ensued and
Sparta was declared the decisive winner. Amphipolis remained aligned with Sparta and its
Peloponnesian League.
POTIDEA
Potidea was founded by Corinthians, and located on the Chalcidice. During many Delian League
conflicts between Corinth and Athens, Potidea went under Corinthian rule. The people did not
want Athens in their city, but after two years of besiegement it fell to Athens and its Delian
League. Potidea was an important place to own due to its convenient location.
ARGOS
Although Argos was located on the Peloponnese, it was aligned with Athens and the Delian
League. However, it had the tendency to align itself with the winning side, not wanting to be
sitting ducks surrounded by enemies. After the Peloponnesian Wars, and into the Rise of
Thebes, Argos played a large role in bringing Thebes into power. However, during the majority
of the war they were aligned with the Delian league.
PLATEA
Platea had traditionally been the steadfast ally of Athens, and the Peloponnesian wars were no
different. A member of the Delian League, Platea stuck with Athens until its end. When Athens
was besieged they surveyed using their long walls to their port. However, Thebes has Platea
under siege as well and the Plateans did not have any ports to access. Noble Platea held out ofr
a very long time under gruelling circumstances, but finally the city fell to Thebes.
CORINTH
Corinth was a major member of the Peloponnesian League. The city state controlled the
Isthmus of Corinth, one of the only land routes onto the Peloponnese. Corinth was a major
player in the wars, supplying lots of hoplites to the Peloponnesian League. All land based
armies had to go through Corinth to get to Sparta, putting them in an influential yet dangerous
position.
SYRACUSE
Syracuse was an observer for most of the first war. However, in 415 BC Athens launched an
expedition of Syracuse. Syracuse was besieged and the armies started ineffective
countermeasures against each other. The real game changer was when Sparta sent one of their
best generals to aid Syracuse. With the help of Gylippus of Sparta, Syracuse won the war, and
Athens suffered one of their worst losses in their history.
CORCYRA
Corcyra remained aligned until the end of the 30 Year Peace when they defeated Corinth in a
naval battle. Corinth started forming a better navy and a concerned Corcyra sought help from
Athens and the Delian League. At the Battle of Sybota, Athens played a key role in stopping
Corinth from taking Corcyra. This battle initiated the end of the peace.
PERSIA
For most of the Peloponnesian War Persia had to decide who they hated less in Greece. They
ultimately decided that they hated Athens more, and started feeding money to Sparta. With
the money the Spartans initiated revolts in the Ionian states that Athens controlled. Persia
made it no secret that their reason for feeding money to Sparta was so that they could get Ionia
back after the Greco-Persian Wars. Their ultimate plan was to take over all of Greece.
MYTILENE
Mytilene was under Athenian control until they revolted and attempted to throw out Athens
and unite with Lesbos. They failed, and attempted their revolt again with Spartan support.
Once again they failed, and a mass execution of city leaders was held by the
Athenians. Mytilene remained in the Delian League no matter how hard they tried to get out.
Figure 1: Military and Political map of Greece and her city states
Figure 2: Athens and its Harbours
External Sources:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/9214/Agis-II
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/13306/Alcibiades
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/77834/Brasidas
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/121210/Cleon
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/151629/Darius-II-Ochus
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/263318/Hermocrates
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/353089/Lysander
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/414225/Nicias
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/451685/Pericles
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/594236/Thucydides
Video: The War that Never Ends (70 minutes):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNcJ79qPIg8