Peloponnesian War

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Causes

Identity & Geography

• Sparta & allies principally Peloponnesian or allied with a Peloponnesian state or a colony of it
  • Thebes and Megara were important Spartan allies that were located in mainland Greece, northwest of Athens
  • Macedonia allied with the Spartans
• Spartan & allies identity = Dorian

• Athens & allies = Aegean
  • Corcyra was important Athenian ally on west coast of Greece
• Athens & allies identity = Ionian
• Athenian trade & food supply
  • dependence on grain routes to/from Black Sea breadbasket

Ideology

• Athens represented:
  • trade
  • wealth
  • democracy
  • philosophy
  • discourse
  • dissent
• Sparta represented
  • oligarchy
  • militarism
  • order / discipline
  • conformity
  • not trade
  • not democracy

Delian League

• = name given by historians
  • original name was "The Athenians and their Allies"
  • "Delian" for the island of Delos where the League funds were kept (collected and guarded by Athens)
• Athenian tribute
  • managed the fund at Delos
  • later moved to Athens and kept at the Acropolis

>> confirm

• • after Syracuse invasion, Athens changed from tribute to a 5% tax on seaborn commerce, which yeilded more revenue than did the tribute system (Lords of the Sea p. 106)
  • afte the Battle of Cyzicus (410 BC) at the entrance to the Sea of Marmara, the Athenians imposed a 10% tax on all goods passing through the Bosporus Strait ("Lords of the Sea" p. 219)

Events

Battle of Potidaea

• Potidaea
  • = Greek city state along northern coast of Aegean Sea, south of Macedonia
  • = the sole Corinthian colony in the Aegean Sea
• after the Athenian intervention between Corinth and Corcyraea on the western coast of Greece, Athens feared Corinthian intervention in the Aegean Sea region
  • Athens demanded that Potidaea expel Corinthian leaders, lower some defensive walls, and send hostages to Athens
  • Potideans asked Sparta for help and revolted againts Athens on the assumption that Sparta would intervene on their behalf
  • Sparta did not get direclty involved
• Sparta response
  • declined direct intervention on behalf of Potidaea or Coringh
  • sent demands to Athens to:
    • end seige of Potidaea
    • restore autonomy of Aegina (island state south of Athens)
    • rescind the Athenian "Megarian Decree" which had barred Megerian citizens from the Agora at Athens (market and meeting place) and from ports of all Athenian allies
  • Athenian response

>> todo >> see Lords of the Sea p. 145

Aftermath

• Persian peace >> King Ataxerxes declaration
• second Delian League ("Athenians and their Allies"), known as "Second Maritime League"
  • for common protection against Sparta (1st league was intended to protect against Persia)
  • no tribute,
  • with restrictions on Athenian actions such as sending colonists or interfering with local governments
  • funded by 1/40th tax on goods entering Athens through the Pareaus
  • source: "Lords of the Sea" p. 255-256
• rebuilding of Athenian navy
  • Athenian hoplite and aristocratic elements argued against navy
  • forests of Attica now depleted
    • soil erosion
    • dependence on importing wood
• Athenian diaspora
  • colonialism, hegemony, ostracism and opportunism had led to a spread of Athenians across Greece, Persian empire, Italy and elsewhere
  • when Alexander the Great invaded Asia Minor, he encountered and fought against many Athenians who had given service to Persia and other city-states as mercenaries and advisors
    • see "Lords of the Sea" p. 299