The peloponnesian war and its buildup

Athens build walls

479 BCE

Archaeological tells us it was rushed Thucydides tells us of athens Deceiving sparta - states this sewed the seeds for war - Themistocles + going to sparta to stop checks.
start of not trusting eachother

The battle of Mycale

479 BCE

End of the Persian war. Persia pushed back to aisa minor- battle took place there.

Delian leauge is formed

477 BCE

Agreements that all are equal but athens leads Money on Delos. Goal is to stop persian threat- disband after Ionian states met to agree to join - sparta invited but did not attend Diodorus claims alarm while thucydides claims unbothered

Carystus forced to join leauge

472 BCE

Early example of violence used to create leauge/empire by athens

Revolt of Naxos

470 BCE

Naxos attempted to leave Athens forced them to stay

Battle of Eurymeodon

466 BCE

The Delian leauge attacked Persia- under Cimon No longer a threat to them

Thastos revolt+ Helot revolt

465 BCE

this was a wealthy state- created a large income for athens
They were taking money from the silver mines Sparta was stopped from helping by the Helot revolt. Earthquake.
gave the opportunity for revolt/ Athens voted to assist- were turned away for fear of siding with the slaves. Thucydides claims this made war inevitable

BAttle of Tanagra

457 BCE

Suspicion that the spartans were working with some to interally overthrow the democracy. Land battle which athens lost- did return to Tanagra to pull down fortifications ans take hostages from the richest in the city. Aegina added to empire._ this was the height of empire land mass as egypt revolt also happening- focus was not war but empire expansion.

Treasury moved to athens

454 BCE

League is now an Empire
Excuse was losses from helping Egypt revolt

Athens leauge:Enfircning Dmeocracy, Athena worship, Loyalty oaths and garrisons

453 BCE

Coinage decree passed

450 BCE

All states had to use athenian currency. Gave athens economic control

Peace of calias

450 BCE

Only Diodorus mentions: Unsure if actually real
Claims that this was a peace treaty with persia. This would have meant the original purpse of leauge had been achived

Chalkis decree + Euboa revolt

446 BCE

States were now forced to obey Athenian command. Euboa revolted due to this- asked for corinth to help. Sparta and corinth helped but athens remained victorious. Megara also revolted

30 Year peace

Period: 446 BCE to 431 BCE

This was an agreement to not go to war between sparta and athens.
Allies had to remain on the side they were initally on- assisting a revolt would break the peace. Neither side could attack the other - Allies did not have a say in any of this. thucydides calls this the drift to war. IT ONLY LASTED 15 YEARS During this time pericles does the building program and focus' on empire not war. Sparta kept peace and did not assist samos- onne of the kings was a friend of pericles

Revolt of samos

440 BCE

Samos was a Athenian empire member at war with Miletus.
they approached athens for help against samos- Athens agreed and established democracy and left a garrison. The oligarchs returned with persian support- re-took the city and built walls. Athens formed a naval blockade to force surrender.

Epidsmnus

432 BCE

Corcyra was a colony of corinth
Epidamnus was a colony of corcyra
A revoltuion broke out- corinth refused to help corcyra THis resulted in a battle between the two- corcyra won both sent embassys to athens to get assistance/show no ill will Corcyra wanted to be allies- breaks 30 year peace
Athens would only ally if either was attacked first- ships sent to watch Fight happened + Corcyra won with support. t- Gave corinth reason for war

Potidea

432 BCE

Poridea was a corinthian colony but member of the athenian empire Sparta promised to help them revolt. They did revolt, and athens met with millitary resistance. They created a blockade, during which war was declared

Megaran Decree

432 BCE

This was due to them entering a sacred forest and killing an Athenian sent to deal with the matter. They were blocked from all trade with the empire- caused massive economic damage without breaking the treaty - was once athenian ally but forced back to sparta may have been pericles provoking sparta.

Allied congress at Sparta- The start of the Second war

432 BCE

Athens and representative's of the Peloponnesian league met at sparta.
A. and S. tried to maintain peace.
Corinth blames athens for growing too powerful- wanted war
a. Argues that weak should rule strong> S. has the helots- greek Sparta voted to go to war- vote may have been corrupt due to aclamation being the method.

Archidamian war

Period: 431 BCE to 420 BCE

This is the first part of the peloponnesian war

Pericles Dies + plauge in athens

429 BCE

Plauge kills 1/3. Including pericles Thucydides gets it too but lives- Blames this event for Athens'' loss at war It was caused by people hiding within athens' walls.

mitilene debate

427 BCE

City on lebsos revolted- trying to unify island- S. supported
Siege resulted in their surrentder
Followed by debate They were ship supplying so important

Pylos and Sphacteria

425 BCE

Year of final invasion. Athenian ships blown to shore- built fort. Fleet departed and left some men there
Athenian navy arrived and defeated sparta- leaving soldiers stranded on Sphacteria Sparta offered peace but cleon turned down Athens captured the spartans on Sphacteria and threatened to execute if sparta invaded again

Brasidas in thrace

424 BCE

The aim of the campaign was to take Amphipolis- spartan Amphipolis surrendered to sparta- Offered property to be kept and safe passage for those who wanted to leave THucydides was sent to handle the situation- was too late and exiled because of it in 422BC there was a battle- which sparta won> This saw the death of cleon and Brasidas.

Peace of Nicias

421 BCE

fighting was to stop and states to return to pre war allegence - minimum of 50 years Some allies refused- corinth tried to break but failed and truce did not apply to abroad

Battle of Mantinea

418 BCE

Sparta VS argos Restored spartan image and confidence

Sicilian expedition

415 BCE

This lasted two years- until 413bc
Regarded as athens' largest faliure Alcibides- the leader- recalled part way through to face trial They were overpowered with the help of sparta and lsot many soldiers- as well as Nicias. This is when athens was overthrown to an oligarchy and many neutral states joined sparta

treaty of Miletus

412 BCE

written by sparta and Persia for their allies. – Thucydides wrote about this. The agreement Is to: stop money coming into the Athenian treasury. Assist those that wish to revolt Provide Sparta with funds- Sparta has no money Provide Sparta with a manned fleet. Return land to empire- e.g. Cypress and Asia Minor This means Athens’ strengths have been met.

Aegospotami

405 BCE

This was the battle in which athens was defeated Sparta, with persia, defeated the navy and starved the city into submission

Socrates Death

399 BCE

Big lad gets dead everyone kinda regretted it- Athenian impulsive decision making Aristophanes play used as evidence- Hypocrisy of the court system as previously deemed as not evidence during Cleon's trial against him. Xenophon leaves for sparta following this Apology is linked to this and very useful for understanding the court-- importance of rhetoric and preformance as well as hate of sophists.