Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE)
First Peloponnesian War to Reduction of Melos
(ca. 460-416 BCE)
Athenian Empire
in Pre-War Period
Polarities between Athenians and Spartans:
Corinthians to Spartans (Thucydides, 1.70)
Then also we think we have as much a right as anyone else to point
out faults in our neighbors, especially when we consider the
enormous difference between you [Spartans] and the Athenians. To
our minds, you are quite unaware of this difference; you have never
yet tried to imagine what sort of people these Athenians are against
whom you will have to fight--how much, indeed how completely
different from you. An Athenian is always an innovator, quick to
form a resolution and quick at carrying it out. You, on the other
hand, are good at keeping things as they are; you never originate an
idea, and your action tends to fall short of its aim. Then again,
Athenian daring will outrun its own resources; they will take risks
against their better judgment, and still, in the midst of danger,
remain confident. But your nature is always to do less than you
could have done, and to assume that dangers will last forever.
Sparta and the Peloponnesian League
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Sparta tied by alliances to Peloponnesian
states
Peloponnesian allies do not pay tribute, but
contribute to a collective war fund
Peloponnesian states were land-powers
Powerful and influential allies: Thebes and
Corinth
“First Peloponnesian War”
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Earthquake, Helot Revolt and Beginnings of Cold War:
464 BCE
Athenian Alliance with Argos, traditional Spartan enemy;
Megara crisis: 461/460 BCE
Athenian Conquest of Boeotia and Aegina: 457/456 BCE
Athenian Expeditions to Corinthian Gulf: 456-454 BCE
Egyptian Disaster: 454 BCE
Five-Year Truce between Athens/Peloponnesians: 451 BCE
Revolt and Reduction of Euboea; Athens loses Megara:
447/446 BCE
Thirty Years Peace between Athens and Peloponnesians:
446 BCE
Megarian Decree (432 BCE)
(Thucydides, 1.139)
Later [Sparta] sent out another embassy to demand that
Athens should give up the siege of Potidaea and free Aegina.
But the chief point and the one they made most clear was that
war could be avoided if Athens would revoke the Megarian
Decree which excluded Megarians from all ports in the
Athenian empire and from the market in Attica itself.
Megara and Megarian Decree
(432 BCE)
Early Stages and Formal Causes:
Western Mediterranean and Northern Aegean
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Athens/Corinth: Dispute over Epidamnus: 435-433 BCE
 Epidamnus a colony of Corcyra; Corcyra a colony of
Corinth. Oecist
 Stasis in Epidamnus--democrats exile aristocrats;
Corinth supports democrats; Corcyra supports exiles
 Athenian defensive alliance with Corcyra in 434/433
BCE (Thucydides, 1.44). Class Warfare or Self
Interest?
 Economic Factors? “Piraeus Faction”? (see
Thucydides, 1.120, 139: Megarian Decree)
Corcyra
and
Epidamnus
Corcyra
(Corfu)
Closed-Sea Policy?
(Thucydides, 1.120)
Now, all those of us who have already had dealings with the
Athenians do not need to be told that we have to be on guard
against them; but those who live inland or off the main trade
routes ought to recognize the fact that, if they fail to support
the maritime powers, they will find it much more difficult to
secure an outlet for their exports and to receive in return the
goods which are imported to them by sea.
Dispute over Potidaea: 432 BCE
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Athenian establishment of Amphipolis on
Strymon river in 436 BCE
Potidaea, a colony of Corinth; tribute-paying
member of the Athenian “alliance” (see
Thucydides, 1.56)
Tightening of Athenian controls (in context of
Epidamnus-Corcyra situation)
Open Warfare between Athens and Corinth in
Chalcidice
Chalcidice and Potidaea
Motivations for War Against Athens:
Sparta or Allies?
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“As to the reasons why they broke the truce, I propose first to give an
account of the causes of complaint which they had against each other and of
the specific instances where their interests clashed: this is in order that there
should be no doubt in anyone’s mind about what led to this great war falling
upon the Greeks. But the real reason for the war is, in my opinion, most
likely to be disguised by such an argument. What made war inevitable was
the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta.”
(Thucydides, 1.23)
Thebes and Tensions on Attic/Boeotian border: Massacre at Plataea
(Thucydides, 2.-6)
Corinth: a wealthy polis dependent on trade. “The Spartans are eager for
war out of fear of you, and the Corinthians have great influence with them
and are your enemies.” (Corcyraeans to Athenians, Thucydides, 1.33.3)
Athenian alliance with Corcyra, Athens’ activities in Amphipolis and
Potidaea, and the Megarian Decree all will have looked to Corinth like an
Athenian attempt to dominate a trading zone embracing the entire Aegean
Sea
Spartans declare war in 432 BCE (Thucydides, 1.88)
Archidamian War (431-421 BCE)
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Archidamus, King of Sparta: annual ravaging of
Attica
Pericles’ Strategy: avoid land battles; raid coastal
areas
Pericles’ “Funeral Oration” (winter 431/30 BCE)
Plague at Athens in 430, 429, 427 BCE (see
Thucydides, 2.47-55)
Death of Pericles (429 BCE)
Financial Strains at Athens: capital tax (eisphora)
on citizens and resident aliens (metics) in 428 BCE;
reassessment of the tribute in 425 BCE
Rebellion and Reaction
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Revolt and Reduction of Euboea: 447/46 BCE
Revolts of Samos and Byzantium: 440/39 BCE
Athenian Foundation of Amphipolis: 436 BCE
Revolt of Potidaea: 432 BCE
Revolt of Mytilene: 428 BCE
Revolts of Amphipolis and other cities: 424 BCE
Brasidas and Cleon
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“The men on each side most opposed to peace”
(Thucydides, 5.16)
Cleon: son of tanner; may have opposed Pericles’ policies
in 430s; “Mytilenean Debate” in 427 BCE (Thucydides,
3.37-48); captures Spartan force in Sphacteria in 425 BCE
(Spartan prepared to negotiate peace)
Brasidas: Ephor in 431/30 BCE; sent to northern Greece
in 424 BCE with helots and mercenaries; damages
Athenian interests by supporting rebellions and winning
over poleis in region
Battle of Amphipolis in 422 BCE: Deaths of Cleon and
Brasidas
Peace of Nicias: 421 BCE (Fifty Years)
Amphipolis
Troubled Peace
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Athenian Alliance with Peloponessian states
hostile to Sparta: Argos, Elis, and Mantinea (420
BCE)
Battle at Mantinea in Peloponnesus (418 BCE):
Sparta defeats allies (including Athenians); Argos
changes from a democracy to an oligarchy and
sides with Sparta
Athenian destruction of island of Melos (416 BCE)
Athens and Melos
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Colonized from Laconia (Sparta) in the “Dorian
invasion”
Melos sent naval contingent to assist the Greek cause at
Salamis in 480 BCE, though Melos was not later a member
of the Delian League
Melos was neutral at outbreak of Peloponnesian War
Athenian general Nicias attacked Melos in 426 BCE
Melos was besieged and sacked by Athenians in 416 BCE
Melian adult males executed; women and children sold
into slavery
Athenian cleruchy established on the island
Melos at Time of Persian Wars
Fate of Melos, 416 BCE
(Thucydides, 5.116)
Siege operations were now carried on vigorously
and, as there was also some treachery from
inside, the Melians surrendered unconditionally
to the Athenians, who put to death all the men of
military age whom they took, and sold the
women and children as slaves. Melos itself they
took for themselves, sending out later a colony
of 500 men.