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The Peloponnesian war (431-404 B.c.e).
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Peloponnesian warRegardless of the fact that Athens and Sparta formed an alliance during the Persian wars, these two city-states have a history of conflict with one another. Not even 50 years after the Persian wars, these two city-states would fight against each other in a war that will change the future of Greece forever.
-During the Persian wars, one city-state fought primarily at sea while the other fought on land. Which is which?
-After the Persian wars, the powerful Athenian fleet continued to protect Greece with their navy. This led to great influence and power over other city-states.
-fearing a future attack from the Persians, many Greek city-states formed alliances. They agreed to defend each other and protect trade in the Aegean sea.
-each city-state contributed money to pay for its protection. These funds were stored on the Island of Delos, which is why historians refer to this alliance as the deli an league.
-with its powerful navy, Athens protected the island, making it the most powerful member of the league. As a result, the Athenians began to treat other members as their subjects. They refused to let members quit and forced other city-states to join the league.
-Athenians began to use the funds for the delian league to pay for rebuilding Athens. Eventually, the delian league became like an Athenian empire.
-Athens was not the only city-state with allies in Greece. Sparta and other southern city-states formed their own alliances. This alliance was called the Peloponnesian league after the peninsula on which the cities were located
-threatened by the growth of Athenian power, Sparta and her allies declared war in 431 b.c.e.this declaration of war began the Peloponnesian war, a war between Athens and Sparta that threatened to tear all of Greece apart.
-in 431 b.c.e. the walls of Athens protected the city from a Spartan invasion. The Spartans began to burn the crops and fields surrounding Athens. They hoped that Athens would run out of food and be forced to surrender.
-To prevent starvation, the Athenian navy escorted merchant ships to Athens, bringing plenty of food to the city. The navy also attacked many of Sparta's allies, forcing the Spartans to send troops to its allies.
-at the same time, the plague swept through Athens. It is said that one of every four people in Athens died of the plague. Among them was the brilliant leader Pericles.
-meanwhile the Athenian navy continued to attack Sparta's allies while the Spartans continued destroying the Athenian food supply. Therefore, the war was often at a deadlock.
-around 415 b.c.e., Athens sent its army and navy to the island of Sicily. The entire Athenian army was defeated by allies of Sparta. To make matters worse, the Sicilians destroyed most of the Athenian navy.
-taking advantage of a weakened Athens, Sparta attacked. The Spartans cut off the Athenian food supply completely. In 404 b.c.e., the people of Athens were forced to surrender. The Peloponnesian war was over, and Sparta was in control.
-Sparta became the most powerful city-state in Greece. This led to resentment and conflict among Sparta and other city-states. This fighting weakened Greece as a whole and left it open to attack from the outside.
