Sparta was not a port city, and her alliance consisted of many of the cities on the land mass knows as the Peloponnese. Instead, each side tried to weaken their rival by undermining allies, moving to disrupt rival supply lines and shipping, backing rival factions in local conflicts.Īthens ruled the seas, and her alliance included most of the cities dotting the islands in and and around the Aegean Sea. The Athenians avoided direct confrontation with Sparta’s land forces, and for much of the war Sparta avoided direct confrontation with Athenian Navel forces. The asymmetrical strengths of the two alliances resulted in a situation where both sides avoided direct confrontation. Though there were a handful of traditional large land battles and in the later part of the war, a number of large sea battles, the war was for the most part fought in a less traditional manner. The conflict between democratic Athens, with her superior Navy, and a pseudo communal Sparta and her superior land army resulted in a conflict strangely modern and unlike prior ancient conflicts. The war lasted 27 years from 431 BCE and 404 BCE. The Peloponnesian War, as defined by Thucydides’ great History of the Peloponnesian War, was fought between Ancient Athens and her allies against Ancient Sparta and her allies.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |