PeloponnesianWar:Athens
BackgroundGuide
Chair:
EagleMUNC
BostonCollegeModel
UnitedNations
Conference
JamesPowlesland
powlesla@bc.edu
Website:
www.EagleMUNC.org
March18-202016
DelianLeague/Athens
COMMITTEETOPICBACKGROUNDGUIDE
Introduction
EsteemedDelegates,
WelcometoEagleMUNCIV!MynameisJamesPowleslandanditismygreatpleasure
toserveastheChairoftheDelianLeagueforthePeloponnesianWar.Iamcurrentlyajunior
studyingMarketingandLeadership&ManagementintheCarrollSchoolofManagementof
BostonCollege.ThiswillbebothmythirdyearservingasachairinEagleMUNCaswellasmy
thirdyearchairingacrisiscommittee.
OurthemethisyearisLibertyandSecurity.Thesetwonotionswereattheforefrontof
themindsetofallAncientGreekcity-statesandinessencedictatedtheirpoliticsandpolicies.
WiththeirautonomychallengedtwicealreadybythePersianEmpireinthePersianWars,the
city-stateshadalreadyformedalliancesbetweenthemselvesinordertoensureaunifiedbattle
frontanddriveoffthePersianinvaders.AftertheendofthesecondPersianWar,however,the
perfectlyunifiedGreekfrontbegantofracture.WiththePersianshumiliatedandlackingmuch
oftheirformerstrength,theGreeksbegantochangetheirconceptofLibertyandSecurity;
fromfightingagainstforeigninvaderstoensuringthattheirowncity-statereignedsupreme
aboveallothers.Inthewakeofthealliancesandpoliticalmomentumthathadbeennecessary
todefeatthePersians,twolargecoalitionscameintobeing.ThefirstwastheDelianLeague,
spearheadedbyAthens,andthesecondwasthePeloponnesianLeague,ledbySparta.The
rivalrybetweenthetwocity-statesrandeepandhaditsrootsinantiquity.Atheniansregarding
theSpartansaswarmongeringbruteswhiletheSpartansregardedtheformerassoft,
DelianLeague/Athens
cowardlyphilosophers.Thesetensionsandthepowercollectedbyeachcitymadethe
followingconfrontationunavoidable.Intheend,neitherofthetwocity-statesmanagedto
claimtruevictoryovertheother,astheywerebothdrainedofresources,manpowerandallies.
ThisallowedthemtobelaterdefeatedbytheMacedoniansunderPhillipandAlexanderthe
Great,whofinallymanagedtorealizethedreamofaunifiedGreece.
Thiswhereyoucomein,delegates.AsmembersoftheesteemedandpowerfulDelian
League,youraimisnowtoproveonceandforallthatyoustandabovethewarmongering
Spartans.Throughoutthecourseofthiscommittee,youwillbegrantedtheopportunityto
reshapehistorywithyouractionsanddecisions.WhethertheDelianLeaguewillstand
supremeandunitetheentiretyofGreeceintoasinglepowertorivalthePersiansisentirelyin
yourhands.Iwishyouthebestofluck!
DelianLeague/Athens
HistoricalBackground
OutcomeofthePersianWars
AfterdefeatingthePersianinvasionofGreeceintheyear480B.C.,Athensbecamethe
leaderoftheGreekcity-statecoalitionthatcontinuedthewarandcoordinatedattackson
PersianterritoriesintheAegeanandIonia.Whatthenensuedwasaperiodknownasthe
“Pentecontaetia,”inwhichAthenssolidifieditsholdoveritsalliedcity-statesandcarriedout
anaggressivewaragainstPersia.Bythemiddleofthecentury,thePersianshadbeendriven
outfromtheAegeanandwereforcedtocedecontrolofalargeswathofterritoriestoAthens.
ThiswasonlythefirststepinAthens’risetopower;anumberofitsformerlyindependentallies
werereduced,overthecourseofthecentury,tothestatusoftribute-payingsubjectstatesof
theDelianLeague.ThistributewasusedinparttofundandsustainapowerfulAthenianfleet
taskedwithsafeguardingthealliesfromfurtherPersianincursions.Afterthemiddleofthe
century,thetributeswerealsousedtofundmassivepublicworkprogramsinAthens,which
fosteredtheresentmentofthealliedcity-states.
RisingTensions
“ThegrowthofthepowerofAthens,andthealarmwhichthisinspiredinLacedaemon,
madewarinevitable.”FrictionbetweenAthensandthePeloponnesianstates,mostnotably
Sparta,beganearlyinthePentecontaetia.AfterthedefeatofthePersiansandtheir
subsequentretreatfromGreece,Spartaattemptedtopreventthereconstructionofthewalls
ofAthens.Withoutthosewalls,Athenswouldhavebeendefenselessagainstalandattackand
DelianLeague/Athens
averyeasytargetfortheextremelycapableSpartanlandforces.NaturallytheAthenians
rebuffedthisrequestand,althoughtheSpartanstooknoimmediateactionatthistime,
Thucydidesnotesthatthey“secretlyfeltaggrieved.”ConflictbetweenAthensandSparta
flaredupagainin465B.C.duetoahelotrevoltwhichbrokeoutinthelatter.Inordertoquell
thisrevolt,theSpartanssummonedforcesfromalltheirallies,includingAthens.WhenAthens
sentoutasizablecontingentofapproximately4,000hoplites,theSpartans,whoallowedall
otheralliedmilitaryforcestoremainandassistthem,dismissedituponarrival.Thucydides
hypothesizedthatthiswasdoneduetofearamongsttheSpartansthattheAthenianswould
switchsidesandsupportthehelots.Thetruereasonswerenevermadecertain,butAthenians
regardedthistreatmentasagraveinsultand,asaresult,renouncedtheirpreviousalliance
withSparta.WhenthehelotrebellionwasquelledandSpartaforcedtherebelstoleaveits
borders,theAthenianswentsofarastohelpthemsettleatNaupactusontheCorinthianGulf,
acityofgreatstrategicimportance.
FirstPeloponnesianWar
In495B.C.,AthenstookadvantageofawarbetweenMegaraandCorinthtoforgean
alliancewithMegara.BothcitieswereexistingalliesofSpartaand,ofcourse,theSpartansdid
nottakekindlytothisinvasionontheirsphereofinfluence.Whilethismoveaffordedthe
AtheniansacriticalfootholdontheIsthmusofCorinth,itwasthesparkthatignitedthe
PeloponnesianWar.Theconflictlastedforfifteenyearsand,throughoutitscourse,the
AtheniansfoughtintermittentlyagainstSpartans,Corinthians,andanumberofotherGreek
city-states.Throughoutthecourseoftheconflict,Athens’influencefluctuated.Inadditionto
DelianLeague/Athens
itsexistingallies,AthensalsomanagedtocontrolMegaraandBoeotia;attheendofthe
conflicthowever,amassiveSpartaninvasioninAtticaforcedtheAthenianstocedethelands
theyhadwonontheGreekmainland.Thatbeingsaid,AthensandSpartarecognizedeach
other’srighttocontroltheirrespectivealliancesystems.Thewarwasofficiallyendedbythe
ThirtyYears’Peace,signedinthewinterof446-445B.C.
ErosionoftheThirtyYearsPeace
DelianLeaguein431BC
DelianLeague/Athens
TheThirtyYears’PeacewasfirstchallengedwhenSamos,oneofAthens’mostpotent
allies,rebelledagainstthelatterin440B.C.ThefactthatSamoshadgainedthesupportofa
Persiansatrap,whichcouldestablishaprecedentforfurtherrevoltsthroughouttheDelian
League,exacerbatedmattersgreatly.NaturallytheSpartanssensedanopportunityforwar
againstAthensandcalledasummitfortheiralliesinwhichtheydiscussedwhetheritwas
prudenttowagewaragainstAthens.InlargepartduetoCorinth’sreluctance,thesummit
decidedagainstopenwarand,asaresult,Athensmanagedtocrushtherevoltunhindered.
Thesecondeventthatchallengedthepeacewasthehostilitiesthatemergedbetween
AthensandCorinth.CorinthhadbeguntobuildastrongnavyafteritsdefeatbyCorcyra,one
ofitsoldcoloniesandastrongnavalforce,thusfarwithnoaffiliationtoeitherSpartaor
Athens.ThisledaveryapprehensiveCorcyratoseekanalliancewithAthens.Afteran
extensivedebateandentertainingdelegationsfrombothCorcyraandCorinth,Athensdecided
toenteradefensivealliancewithCorcyra.ThisalliancebetweenCorcyraandAthensplayeda
criticalroleintheBattleofSybota,wherethecontingentofAthenianshipsplayedavitalrole
inpreventingtheCorinthianfleetfromcapturingCorcyra.DuetothetermsoftheThirtyYears’
Peace,AthenswasnotallowedtoparticipateintheconflictbetweentheCorinthandCorcyra
unlessitbecameclearthatthefirstwasfullyintendingtoinvadethesecond.Ofcourse,the
Atheniansdisobeyedthatcommandandinvolvedthemselvesintheconflictfromthe
beginning,usingthethreatoftheiroriginalsmallfleetcontingentaswellasthearrivalof
reinforcementstoforcetheCorinthianstoretreat.
ThethirdeventthatchallengedthepeacewastheAtheniantreatmentofPotidaea,a
memberoftheDelianLeaguebutalsoanothercolonyofCorinth.Duetotheirearlierconflict
DelianLeague/Athens
withCorinth,theAthenianwrathfelluponPotidaea:thecitywasaskedtoprovideAthenswith
hostages,dismissallCorinthianofficers,andteardownitswalls.Naturally,thePotidaeans,
encouragedbytheoutragedCorinthians,electedtorevoltagainstAthens.Thisledtoanother
violationofthepeace,fortheCorinthiansstartedtounofficiallysneaktheirownsoldiersinto
thebesiegedcityinordertohelp,thusbreakingthetermthatstatedthattheDelianand
PeloponnesianLeaguewouldnotinterfereineachother’saffairs.
Thefourtheventthatchallengedthepeacewasthetradesanctionimposedupon
MegarabyAthensin433B.C.AllegedlythepeopleofMegarahaddesecratedtheHieraOrgas,
averyimportantreligiousceremony.Athenselectedtradesanctionstobetheirpunishment.A
tradesanctionfromAthens,however,entailedatradingsanctionfromtheentiretyofthe
DelianLeague,whichwasaverytoughblowfortheMegarianeconomy.SeeingasMegarahad
returnedtobeinganallyofSpartaaftertheendoftheFirstPeloponnesianWar,thistreatment
wasconsideredablowtowardstheentiretyofthePeloponnesianLeague.
Intheend,alltheseeventsledtoacouncilofthePeloponnesianLeague,whichwas
heldinSpartaat432B.C.Thepurposeofthecouncilwastoallowallthosewhofelttheyhad
beenwrongedbyAthenstomakeacasebeforetheSpartanassembly.Thepresenceofan
uninvitedAtheniandelegationgaverisetoaheateddebate,whichculminatedinthe
CorinthianscondemningtheSpartaninactivityandtheAtheniansremindingtheSpartansof
theirownmilitarystrength,aswellasadvisingthemtoseekarbitrationasperthetermsofthe
Peace.Forbetterorworse,themajorityoftheAssemblyvotedtodeclarewar.Assuch,the
ThirtyYearPeacewasbroken.
DelianLeague/Athens
ArchidamianWarandPeaceofNicias
Inthebeginning,itwasextremelydifficultforthetwosidestofightadecisivebattle.
ThePeloponnesianLeaguewarassetsweremostlylandbased,whileDelianLeaguerelied
moreheavilyonitsnavy.ThustheSpartanstrategyconsistedofinvadingthelandsurrounding
Athensanddestroyingitsproductivity,whichwasnoteffectiveduetothreereasons.First,
Athenshadalreadyestablishedstrongtradenetworksoverthesea,whichitcoulduseto
provideitselfwithallthesuppliesitneeded.Second,therebuiltAthenianwallsweretoo
strongfortheSpartanarmytobreakandtoohighforittoscalethem.Third,theSpartanarmy
couldonlyoccupythoselandsforalimitedtimeoftimeperinvasion,sincethemenwere
expectedtocontributeintheharvestandkeepthehelotsundercontrol.Thelongestinvasion,
whichwasin430B.C.,lastedjustfortydays.
TheAthenianstrategy,whichwasinitiallyoutlinedbythegeneralPericles,wastoavoid
large-scalebattleswiththesuperiorPeloponnesianinfantryforceandtorelyheavilyonnaval
combat.ThisstrategywassuccessfulandledtoanAthenianvictoryinNaupactus,butitwas
nottolastforlong.In430B.C.,aplagueravagedAthens,wipingoutasubstantialpartofthe
population,includingPericles.ThisnotonlyseverelycrippledAthenianmanpower;italso
madeitmuchlessattractivetomercenaryforces,whichrefusedtofightalongsidethediseaseriddenAthenians.However,italsoforcedtheSpartanstobreaktheirsiegeandreturnto
Lacedaemoninahurryinordertoavoidcontractingthediseasethemselves.
DelianLeague/Athens
AfterthedeathofPericles,thetwogeneralsthatrosetopowerwereCleonand
Demosthenes.Thetwogeneralsadoptedamuchmoreaggressiveoffensivepolicy,
encouragingnavalraidsonthecoastofthePeloponneseaswellasestablishingfortifiedposts
onitandstretchingtheAthenianoperationstoincludeBoeotiaandAnatolia.Itwasatoneof
theseposts,onthesmallislandofSphacteriaoffthecoastofPylos,thatthefirstdecisive
battleofthewarendedinAthens’sfavor.Byprovidingasafeharborforrunawayhelotsat
PylosandthroughtheircloseproximitytoLacedaemon,theAtheniansgoadedtheSpartans
intoaction.InthebattleofPylos(425B.C.),DemosthenesoutmaneuveredtheSpartansand
trappedalargegroupofthemonSphacteria,butwasunabletofinishthemoff.Thisallowed
roomforCleontoseizethevictoryatSphacteriaandaffordedAthensabout120Spartan
hoplitesashostages.ThiswassuchablowtoSpartanmoralethattheysuedforpeace,butthe
warmongeringfactionsupportingCleonensuredthatthetermswerenotaccepted.This
victorywasswiftlycounterbalancedin424B.C.duringtheBattleofDelium,wherethe
BoeotianshandedtheinvadingAthenianlandforcesamajordefeat.
Thestageforthelastlarge-scalebattleofthewarwasAmphipolis;anAtheniancolony
inThracewhosesilverminesgreatlysupportedthewareffortfortheDelianLeague.The
SpartansinitiallysentaforceundergeneralBrasidasduring424B.C.tocaptureAmphipolis,
whichachieveditsgoalandarrivedtherebeforetheAthenianforcesunderThucydidescould
helpreinforcethecity.ThisledtoThucydides’exileandallowedCleontopressforacampaign
toretakeAmphipolis.ThiscampaignculminatedinthebattleofAmphipolisin422B.C.,in
whichAthenslostboththebattleandGeneralCleon.Inastrokeofluck,however,theSpartan
GeneralBrasidaswasalsokilledduringthebattle.Assuch,bothAthensandSpartalostthewill
DelianLeague/Athens
andthenecessaryleadershiptocontinuethewar.Thisallowedforpeacetalks,which
culminatedinapeacebetweenthetwosides,mastermindedbytheAtheniangeneralNicias
andwithveryadvantageoustermsforAthens.
CurrentIssues
TheattainmentofthePeaceaffordedNicias,astaunchdefenderofpeace,great
politicalpowerandensuredthathisplacewascementedintheAthenianpoliticalscene.That
beingsaid,notallofSparta’salliesabidedbythepeace,whichallowedanotherprominent
memberoftheAthenianpoliticalscenetourgetheAthenianstowardsopenwar.Thismember
wasnoneotherthanAlcibiades,anephewofPericlesfromhismother’ssideandheirtooneof
therichestfamiliesinAthens.ThisensuredthatwhilethePeacewasstillineffect,strainswere
constantlyplacedonitbybothsides,thusensuringthatwarneverreallyleftthemindsofthe
people.Inthemeantime,thePersianempirehadundergoneextensivereformsafterits
successivedefeatsatthehandsoftheGreeksanditappearedonceagainreadytorejointhe
scene,allowingitselftolendaneartopleadsofbothsides,whileconstantlyamassingmore
powerandleverageforitself.
BlocPositions
ThisbodywillconsiderthesecondpartofthePeloponnesianWar,followingthe
initiationofthePeaceofNicias,fromtheperspectiveoftheDelianLeague.Theprimary
concernofthedelegatesshouldbesolidifyingAthenianpowerandorganizingtheir
relationshipswithpossibleallies.Somemaywanttofocusonestablishingfriendlier
connectionsbetweenAthensandthealliedcity-states,whileothersmaywanttoensure
DelianLeague/Athens
loyaltythroughcontinuousintimidation.Alliancesareever-changingandwiththeever
increasingdesireofthePersianstointerfereinGreekaffairs,itisalsouptothedelegatesto
considertheamountofcooperationandinvolvementthattheDelianLeaguewillhavewith
thosewhoitwasinitiallycreatedtoopposeanddestroy.
QuestionstoConsider Whendevelopingtheirapproach,thedelegatesshouldconsiderafewofthefollowing
issues.ThefirstisthedesiredlevelofPersianinvolvement.AllowingthePersianstoomuch
involvementmaycauseissueswiththeindependenceandtheauthorityoftheDelianLeague
laterdowntheline.However,spurninganyformofhelpfromthemmayleadtoaheftymilitary
disadvantage,especiallyiftheSpartansdecidetocapitalizeontheirhelp.Anotherthingto
consideristhebesttacticaluseoftheAthenianmilitaryassets.Whiletheinfantryiswithouta
doubtfearlessandwelltrained,itisthenavythattrulysetsAthensabovetherest.Finally,the
delegatesarealsoencouragedtoponderwhethertheDelianLeagueshouldrethinkits
relationshipstowardsitscurrentalliedcity-states.Whilerulingthroughintimidationand
superiormightiscertainlyfeasible,somedelegatesmaydecidetopursueamoreequitableand
gentlepaththatprovideslessofabasisforrebellion.
Alldelegatesareencouragedtodoadditionalresearchontheirindividualpositionsand
powers,andtoconsiderwhattheymightdointheirattempttoestablishapermanent
AthenianEmpire.Ifanydelegateshaveadditionalquestionsregardingtheirpositionsorthe
committeeingeneral,pleasedonothesitatetoemailme.Ilookforwardtoanenjoyableand
productivecommitteeaswerepresentoneofbiggestandmostpromisingpowersforaunified
AncientGreece.
DelianLeague/Athens
WorksCited
Thucydides,HistoryofthePeloponnesianWar
Bagnall,Nigel.ThePeloponnesianWar:Athens,Sparta,AndTheStruggleForGreece.NewYork:
ThomasDunneBooks,2006
Cawkwell,George.ThucydidesandthePeloponnesianWar.London:Routledge,1997
Hutchinson,Godfrey.Attrition:AspectsofCommandinthePeloponnesianWar.Stroud,
Gloucestershire,UK:TempusPublishing,2006
Kagan,Donald.TheArchidamianWar.Ithaca,NY:CornellUniversityPress,1974