Causes and major events of Peloponnesian War

Causes and major events of Peloponnesian War

Let’s remember the earlier events.  In the years when there was Persian war, conflict between Athens and Sparta seemed not so strong, Themistocles, whom the ancient historians considered as a talented politician, and person who could foresee events begins to build walls around the city. During the struggle between Greeks and Persians (457 - 446 BC.) two most powerful states in Greece had a desire to dominate and as the result they had military clashes. Peloponnesian War was the result of increasing controversy.

The roots of the Peloponnesian War can be traced back to many specific instances but on the most part three main elements caused its rise; Sparta's anger at Athenian aid to Spartan enemies, Spartan fear of Athenian power, and the hostility and mistrust caused by the radical differences between the two societies. The Peloponnesian War was inevitable.

Clearly Sparta and Athens functioned under opposite philosophies. Two cities were not even one hundred and fifty miles apart, but were distinctly opposite. While they were related by origin, worshiped the same God, and spoke the same language they were radically different in their ways of living and thinking

Seeing the power in navy, Pericles ( a prominent and influential statesman, orator, and general of Athens during the city's Golden Age—specifically, the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars) was preparing a policy to armed conflict. By the way the most successful operations in Peloponnesian War are associated with actions of navy. Of course, in addition to political reasons there was economically – Corinth’s trade contest. ( Corinth city-state, on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow stretch of land that joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece)

Before the war Athenian fleet numbered 300 vessels, Peloponnesians had just half of this number, but there was predominance in the Army - 60 thousand soldiers, the Athenians only 30 thousand.  Pericles believed that, by having privilege in the sea, the Athenians will be able to block Peloponnese and prevent invasion of the enemy. The Spartans chose the tactic of incursions into the territory of Attica. Attica was ravaged.

Death of Pericles in 429 BC. showed that there was no worthy person to replace him. Nicias began to lead the group of moderate Democrats, but he showed himself as an indecisive chieftain. Cleon (an Athenian statesman during the Peloponnesian War) was very popular at National Assembly. He was the first prominent representative of the commercial class in Athenian politics, although he was an aristocrat himself. Contemporaries Thucydides and Aristophanes represented him as a warmonger and a demagogue).  

In 428 BC. Spartans repeated their raid on Attica. Simultaneously, a rebellion broke out in i.Lesbose, the suppression of which required considerable force of Athenians. Cleon demanded to punish the rebels. Then the Civil war broke out in Corfu. With help of Athenians there was restored a democracy. That time Athenians got the initiative in Sicily and Corfu. 

In 425 BC. Strategist Demosthenes landed in Pylos Bay (west coast of Messenia). The Spartans, who began a new campaign in Attica, were forced to return. They pulled force to Pylos dominating in the i.Sfakteriya and closed the exit of the bay. Reinforcements led by Cleon and the actions of the Athenian fleet blockaded the Spartans. It was a victory, but it was a temporary success . Failure of the Athenians was sharpened by the contradictions in archai. In the spring of 421 BC., the strategist Nicias (an Athenian politician and general during the period of the Peloponnesian War) signed a peace convention to establish peace for 50 years, the parties returned to their prewar state: the Athenians were to leave Pylos, the Spartans – Amphiboles.

The first period of the war was over. But the controversy did not disappear; the parties did not want to follow the agreement. 

The desire to consolidate or dominate in the western Mediterranean led to organize a campaign in Sicily. It was headed by Alcibiades, who hoped that the Sicilian campaign will bring him fame of good commander, but events turned differently. Unsuccessful  naval operation in 415 BC. caused a significant expense to the state, but did not bring glory to commanders. 

The reason of the campaign was following: before squadron’s sailing someone disfigured herms - columns with the image of God - Hermes. Alcibiades and his friends were accused. Alcibiades was able to justify and insist on an early departure. In the absence of Alcibiades, National Assembly again began to discuss the desecration of herms. Alcibiades fled to Sparta. He was adjudged to death. 

After the scuttle of Alcibiades and because of the Nicias’s indecision Athenians were defeated in Sicily. The fleet which came to rescue and was led by Demosthenes did not save the situation. After one of the battle Nicias and Demosthenes were captured and executed.

And in 414 BC. Spartans invaded Attica, and with advice of Alcibiades, took the place named Dhekelia. 

Lodged in Dhekelia, Spartans made a regular forays to the land of the Athenians. Spartans receive money from Persia, promising them to admit their authority  in the Asia Minor.  

Begins a period of sea confrontation. In 406 BC. Spartans defeated the Athenian fleet in Methymna (Lesbos), this time with great effort and citizens on ships the Athenians defeated the enemy at Lesbos. But it was their last victory.

The following year Lysander (Spartan general who commanded the Spartan fleet in the Hellespont which defeated the Athenians at Aegospotami in 405 BC.) force the Athenians to capitulate, bringing the Peloponnesian War to an end; he organized the dominion of Sparta over Greece in the last decade of his life.

In autumn 405 BC. Spartan’s fleet appeared in the coast of Attica, the same time a squad of soldiers came to Athens. After a long siege, suffering from hunger Athenians agreed to negotiate. In 404 BC. peace was reinstated. Under the new agreement, the Athenians were allowed to have only 20 ships, fortifications that protected the city and Piraeus were destroyed, the Athenians undertook (promised) to allow come back all the exiled oligarchs and there was located Spartan’s garrison in Athens.

Under the enforcement of Lysander, People's Assembly adopts new constitution. Only 3 thousand most wealthy citizens had Civil rights, The Committee of 30 had executive rights, in history they were known as the "the tyranny of the thirty" because of repressions against the Democrats and wealthy metics. (Resident alien, a person who did not have citizen rights in their Greek city-state of residence).

Democratically-minded fleet did not recognize the authority of «the tyranny of the thirty». Persecuted democrats, settled at the border of Boeotia and Attica, are beginning to accumulate forces for a campaign in Athens; their squad (military unit) very quickly grew to thousand people. In 403 BC. The Committee of 30 has fallen; the Spartan garrison was expelled from Athens.  The Power of Demos was restored. 

This war brought the decrease of the morality, sharpened relations between wealthy and poor citizens and decreased the role of National Assembly. The next century all the states without exceptions faced a crisis of the Greek polis which was stimulated by Peloponnesian War.