04- Greek Period Study- THE ARCHIDAMIAN WAR- 451-420

What was the Spartan strategy at the start of the war

Wanted the complete destruction of Athenian Empire- Annual invasions of Attica to lure Athens out of their walls

Athenian strategy at the start of the war

Exhaust Sparta- island strategy- avoid hoplite battle and direct rural citizens within the walls

What happens after Sparta’s second annual invasion

The plague hits and Pericles gives his 430 speech

430 speech

• assembly voted for everything so he is not solely to blame

• “we are separated by our intelligence and should feel superior”

• “You have made this Empire a tyranny”- accepts its maintained by fear but it is necessary now that they are at war

What did Thucydides think of Pericles

“under Pericles, Athens was at her greatest”

“It was he who led them rather than they who led him”

Revolt of Mytilene 428

Mytilene decides to revolt while Athens is weak with Plague and PL agree to help. Athens then sail to Ithmus and lay waste to Spartan countryside so the plan is abandoned. Mytilene is defeated, walls destroyed and fleet confiscated.

What was Cleons view at the Mytilenian Debate

• kill all men, enslave all women and children

• All allies are plotting to revolt so they must show strength

• Athens cant make a law and then be too afraid to enforce it

What was Diodotus’ view at the Mytilenian debate

• 1000 ring leaders put to death

• Be lenient to promote loyalty

• lose tribute and resources with a harsh seige

What happened at Pylos

Group of Spartans were outnumbered by Athenians so they surrendered and were brought back to Athens

What were the consequences of Pylos

• Sparta was humiliated “never surrender “ myth was destroyed

• Had to end annual invasions or Athens would execute the prisoners

• Sparta sued for peace and Athens rejected (Thucydides critical of Cleon for this)

Massacre at Scione

Cleon massacred the population to punish them for treachery (declaring its loyalty to Sparta)

he killed all men and enslaved all women and children

What did Brasidas do

THRACIAN CAMPAIGN He was known for being a negotiator, diplomat and very un Spartan like. He Took 700 hoplites to foster revolts in northern Greece where he took the city of Amphipolis and granted its citizens local autonomy. During the battle, both Brasidas and Cleon died

how did Thucydides present Cleon

cowardly and aggressive. This could have been based on a private grudge as Thucydides was supposed to defend Amphipolis and was exiled by Cleon when he failed to prevent the attack

What position was Athens in after the Thracian Campaign

regretted not making peace with Sparta after Pylos- blamed it on Cleon’ s arrogance

what was the position of Sparta after the Thracian Campaign

• thought they would have destroyed Athens in a few years- taking longer than expected

• Spartan land had never been invaded so much- 292 captured Spartans

• Peace treaty with Argos was coming to an end- whoever they side with could change the tide of the war

Terms of the Peace of Nicias

• Athens had to return Pylos and Sphacteria

• Amphipolis given back to Athens

• Corinth and Megara agree to let Athens keep gained land

• Athens to keep out of Peloponnesian affairs

• Sparta and Athens to assist each other militarily

Why did the Peace of Nicias fail

• Sparta’s allies didn’t accept the treaty

• Amphipolis wasn’t returned

• Athens allied with Argos- not keeping out of Peloponnesian affairs

• Corinth encouraged city states to break the treaty and encouraged the alliance between Athens and Argos