Download Peloponnesian War

Peloponnesian War
Delian League
• Set up after Xerxes attacked in the Persian War. Originally set
up as a defensive and trade alliance. Athens led the league,
but the treasury was kept on Delos. Each state had one equal
vote. Different city-states would pay dues in different ways;
some boats, some weapons, some men, etc.
• Eventually the treasury was moved from Delos to Athens.
Athens also changed from accepting ships and men to money
only. The Acropolis and Parthenon were built from money
collected for the Delian League. Some believe this constitutes
the Delian League changing into an Athenian Empire. A citystate revolted, they were put down and there land and mines
were confiscated by Athens.
• Athens ignored treaties with Sparta and allied with Argos, an
enemy of Sparta.
Mantinea
To
Syracuse
Argos
Peloponnesian War
• War between Athens and her allies and
Sparta and her allies, a conflict
between oligarchic Sparta and
democratic Athens.
• The Spartans did not want the
Athenians to rebuild their walls after
the Persian invasion, but they were
rebuilt anyway. Later Athens
intervened in a battle between of two
smaller city-states, one of the city-states
appealed to Sparta for help.
Sicilian Expedition
• Years into the war an appeal from Athenian allies in
Sicily claimed to be under attack by Syracuse, an ally of
Sparta. Athens is unable to take Syracuse with the aide
of the Spartans; they lose many men and a good portion
of their fleet.
• After this loss Athens must demand higher tribute from
her allies, which causes many to revolt. Athens was still
able to manage victories and defeat the Spartan fleet.
• Sparta was able to eventually completely defeat Athens,
but did not destroy the city; they just took it into their own
system. Athens would be ruled by an oligarchy set up by
Sparta, but would be eventually overthrown. Sparta was
defeated by Thebes and then again by Phillip of
Macedon, Alexander the Great’s father.