the peloponnesian war
431 Bc The war between the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta, and the Delian
431 to 404 Bc
Peloponnesian War starts
429 Bc
Athenian naval victory at
Naupactus
425 Bc
Athens captures Sphacteria.
Spartan peace overtures
rebuffed
422 Bc
Spartan victory at Amphipolis.
Brasidas and Cleon both killed
421 Bc
negotiation of Peace of Nicias
(new Athenian leader]
418 Bc
Battle of Mantinea: Sparta
defeats Argive-led army
407 Bc
Spartan fleet wins naval battle
off Notium
406 Bc
Athenians win victory at
Arginusae, and again decline
offer of peace
405 Bc
Athenian fleet destroyed while
beached at Hellespont
404 Bc
Athens surrenders
16 the peloponnesian war
loss of 160 Athenian and 56 allied triremes in the confined waters
of Syracuse harbour equalised the naval forces available to both — Labdalum
League, led by Athens, pitted a land power against a sea power. The
sides for the first time in 50 years. at fort captured by Spartans
asymmetric nature of the conflict helped prolong hostilities for 27 years. Sparta was now able to establish a series of fleets in western
Asia Minor that contested Athens’ sea lines of communication \ Fpipolae Plateau
Athens collected tribute from allies who were bound to her by treaty, and across the Aegean and the Hellespont. Although Athens had lost
their fleet of 300 triremes allowed them to win the majority of the naval naval superiority and had suffered a series of political upheavals at
home, its superior tactical prowess still enabled its navy to win a
battles, even when outnumbered. Although the Peloponnesian League's series of naval battles over an eight-year period. Yet these were
naval forces were outnumbered, It could muster some 30,000-35,000 not enough; Athenian allies rebelled and ceased paying tribute,
further weakening the Athenian navy. In 405 Bc the Athenian fleet,
hoplites, more than twice as many as Athens. At the league’s core was the maintaining its eastern sea lanes in the Hellespont, was destroyed
Spartan army, the only professional fighting force in Greece. while beached and Athens, faced with imminent starvation, sur-
rendered a year later.
The first phase of the war, the Archidamian War (431-421 Bc], saw the Spartan army invade Attica each year, while
2 At their third attempt, the Syracusan army
the Corinthian navy attempted to break out of the Gulf of Corinth. The Athenian admiral, Phormio, operating from
extended a defensive wall past the
2 siege of syracuse,
Naupactus, defeated a succession of Corinthian sorties and prevented Corinth from maintaining its economic links Athenian siege lines, preventing the total
to colonies in Italy. Athens established a base at Pylos on the western coast of the Peloponnese. Sparta landed a blockade of the city [map right). The 415-413 Bc
Spartan general Gylippus then trapped the
small army on an adjacent island (Sphacteria), but Athenian naval forces isolated them. After a series of failed nego- (|= Syracusans
tiations, Athenian naval forces were able in 425 Bc to land superior Athenian land forces on to the island, destroying
Athenian fleet within the great harbour
[= Athenians
and the besiegers found themselves cut
the majority of the Spartan force and capturing the survivors. = Spartan advance
off. The surrender and enslavement of the
sae Athenian walls
Negotiations followed, culminating in the Peace of Nicias in 421 Bc, but it was no more than an armistice. Many of expeditionary force was a catastrophe for
Athens and its fleet never recovered its
«eee Syracusan walls
Sparta’s allies became disaffected and formed a new league with Argos. At the Battle of Mantinea (418 Bc), Sparta won Plemmyrium
qualitative advantage.
the one and only large hoplite battle of the Peloponnesian War when it defeated an Argive-led army that included an
Athenian contingent. This victory, plus the Athenian invasion of
Sicily, prompted a renewal of hostilities.
In 415 Bc, Athens launched a pre-emptive attack on
Syracuse, a potential Spartan ally. The fact that the Athenians THRACE
could launch the original expedition and subsequently reinforce
it without hindrance from the Peloponnesian League testifies ACG
Fi det tc bidamnus
to their control over the western sea routes to Sicily. But the Seq
PERSIAN
4a The whole Greek world became involved in the prolonged war between EMPIRE
_ Athens and Sparta from 431 sc (map right). Sparta was stronger on ‘Arginusae Islands
land, but Athens kept firm control of the sea. After ten years an uneasy Tyrrhenian
peace was made (421 Bc], but when Athens lost almost its entire fleet Sea © Sardes
in Sicily, the Spartans pressed home their advantage. Even so, it was IONIA
only with considerable naval and financial support from the Persians
lotium 407 BC 4.
that they were able to overcome the Athenian navy. p >. 7
3
‘lonian Sea a | z CS oe
1 the peloponnesian war, 431-404 sc | | &
2
ee Athens and members of
the Delian League ® allies of Sparta in Magna Graecia
[| ally of Athens ===» Athenian campaigns
fee Sparta and allies =<» Spartan campaigns : faken by
\a Athens 416
|_| neutral states >< Athenian victory
3
@ _allies of Athens in Magna Graecia >< Spartan victory ae e A<Cythera |
(taken by Athens 424 BC)