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The Peloponnesian War: Struggle for Greece's Future

Dive into the monumental conflict, as documented by Thucydides, shaping ancient Greek history with strategic maneuvers and political intrigues.

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The Peloponnesian War: Struggle for Greece's Future

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  1. The Peloponnesian War The Struggle for the Future of Greece

  2. Thucydides • His History is our main source for the war • Manuscript is incomplete at time of death • Eyewitness accounts, recreation of speeches, tell the facts, not myth

  3. Reasons for War • End of the Thirty Year Peace 440-431 • Spartan land dominance, Athenian sea power • Corinth “Athens is a threat to Greek liberty.”

  4. Reasons for War • Corinth – 2nd largest naval power • Athens - natural leader of the Greeks • Sparta – fears Athens

  5. Athenian Strategy • Pericles’ plan pays off, as the Athenians can get supplies through the long walls, and with the help of their fleet.

  6. The City Secured • Attica withdraws • Spartan army invades, ravages city • Walls protect food supply

  7. But the Plan is Flawed . . . • Can’t attack from within • Can’t keep thousands stuffed inside city • Can’t outlast the plague

  8. The Plague • “In general, there was no known cause, but people in good health were all of a sudden attacked by violent heat in the head and red and inflamed eyes, and internally the throat and tongue were bleeding . . . The body itself was not very hot, nor pale, but reddish, livid and breaking out into all manner of pustules and ulceratic wounds.”

  9. The Death of Pericles • 429 BCE • Oligarchs vs. Democrats • Settlement vs. War

  10. Cleon’s Plan or the Archidamian War • Invade Sparta • Logic: Deter Spartans from invading Attica & Helots will revolt 425 BCE – invades with army, dead in 422

  11. The Peace of Nicias • Nicas negotiates a treaty • 30 year truce that lasts only 7 years • Everyone goes back to their land • But pro-war faction does not vanish

  12. Alcibiades the Agitator • Everything you could want in a politician: • Young, good speaker, clever . . . • Highly educated, daring, good at parties • But best of all, he was the nephew of Pericles

  13. With a leader like this, what could go wrong? • He is politically amoral • Picks the war effort because it suits him • Wants to lead and this side needs a leader • By 420 he is strategos • Figures out how to attack • Up until now, the plan had only been how to defend Athens

  14. The Sicilian Expedition • Sparta depends on the Magna Graecia for supplies and Corinth for trade • Cut off the supplies, and you have victory • Go for Syracuse

  15. The Magna Graecia

  16. Could this plan work? • Capture Syracuse (main city in Sicily) • Capture Sicily • Cut Corinth and Sparta off from trade and supplies

  17. Problems • How to get the fleet past Corinth? • Could an Athenian army take Syracuse? • How could Athens afford this?

  18. Nicias vs. Alcibiades • Nicias on the war: • need large land army • Feasibility of plan • Take all supplies along • Very expensive • “With this Nicias concluded thinking that it would either disgust the Athenians by the magnitude of the task . . . or that they would be persuaded to do this in the safest way possible”

  19. Alcibiades’ Speech • “Know that we shall increase our power at home by this adventure abroad . . . Let us humble the pride of the Peloponnesians by sailing off to Sicily . . . And at the same time we shall become either masters, as we very easily may, of the whole of Hellas . . . Or in any case ruin the Syracusians, to no small advantage to us and our allies.”

  20. Athenians Want War • 3 Commanders to keep things fair and balanced . . . • Alcibiades • Nicias • Lamachus

  21. The Expedition Begins • 134 triremes, 27,000 men • Treasury is emptied • Defacing of statues • Alcibiades arrested • Spartans get a spy

  22. Nicias Takes Command • How to win the war when the guy who wanted it is now on the other side??? • And the guy who didn’t want it is now in charge??? • Things are not looking good for Athens

  23. Disaster Strikes • Get the fleet home • Surprise Ambush • Land Assault • Most terrible loses in the history of Greece

  24. Damage Control • Athens raises second fleet • Lack of leadership dooms attempt • Oligarchs take control in 414 • Democrats favored by 410

  25. Welcome Home, Alcibiades • Recalled from exile • Four years of victories • Falls from favor

  26. 405 BCE • Athenians attempt to restock ships • Spartans and Corinthians are waiting • Athenians fail to guard fleet • There can be no recovery

  27. Spartans Invade Attica • In 404, Athens surrenders • Athenians forced to pull down walls of city • Athenian fleet restricted • Ally with Sparta (forced to do this)

  28. The Consequences are Dire • Lost the Empire • Never a major political influence again • Sparta does not have the leadership skills to unite Greece

  29. Coming Soon . . . • Who is closer to the idea Greek woman: Uma or Jessica?

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