Wars Part 2

The city-state became a center of art and learning, making it extremely wealthy

Athens had the strongest Navy in Greece

Sparta maintained the strongest Army in Greece

This caused a rivalry between the city-states which would eventually lead to conflict

An alliance (group of nations formed to achieve a goal) formed by Athens and other city-states

Goal: Protect one another from Persia and offer money and ships if needed for defense

Athens used the Delian League as its own empire instead of as an equal partnership

Using the funds this way caused resentment among League members not from Athens

Alliance created by Sparta and other city-states named for their meeting on the Peloponnesian peninsula

Most members are oligarchies, and fear/resent Athens for its power and democracy

Conflict arose in 433 BCE when Athens began a ban on trade with a member of the Peloponnesian League.

This ban angered the Peloponnesian League, making way for a war between the two Leagues

War breaks out in 431 BCE and lasts 27 years

Begins when Spartans created a barricade around Athens and started a siege

The goal of a siege is to force surrender by cutting off food and supplies to an enemy

However, the Athenians had prepared for this and were able to receive food and supplies from their ports 

This stalemate lasted over a year until plague broke out in Athens and the Spartans left.

The war dragged on, neither side yielding much ground due to Athens’ strong navy and Sparta’s strong army

The Persians saw an opportunity for vengeance on Athens for the Persian wars, and funded the Spartans to build a navy as strong as Athens’

The Spartans blocked supplies and food to Athens from both land and sea, eventually forcing a surrender

With all of the civil unrest going on, the Greeks ignored a growing threat from a city-state in the North, Macedonia