Causes of Peloponnesian War

Thurii

443 BC Colony of Athens on the southern coast of Italy founded; Athens announced it would be a "Panhellenic" colony, something they should not have the authority to do because Sparta was the hegemon of Greece in the Persian Wars; it was a total disaster and poorly planned but it also worked in asserting Athenian leadership because cities assembled when called upon and Sparta did not challenge. Sig also that took place during 30 Y Peace.

Thirty Years' Peace

445 BC signed b/w Athens and Sparta saying peace and arbitration upon dispute; neither would influence the other, neutral states were free to join either side, allies cannot switch sides, could only use force within own league; only lasted 13 years overlooked the neutral Megara and the commercial rivalry between Athens and Corinth; ended when Sparta declared War on Athens. Sig: brought an end to the First Peloponnesian War. Problematic because it divided the Greek world into two spheres of influence: Sparta on land and Athens at sea=bipolarity.

Potidaea

430 BC Corinthian Colony and member of the Athenian Alliance; problem because tensions, sides with Corinth and is besieged and falls 430 BC

Plataea

431 BC City on the Attic plains between Thebes and Athens; cause of Peloponnesian War because Thebes attacked before Sparta and Athens were able to work out a peace settlement

Megarian Decree

432 BC Excluded the Megarians from the use of Athenian harbors and of the market of Athens. Pericles was the instigator of these devastating sanctions. Significant because Corinth urged Sparta to declare war v. Athens in 432 because of these measures

Epidamnus

435 BC near Ionic Gulf, colony far to the north; Civil war broke out b/w democrats and oligarchs- democrats sought assistance from Corcyra, their metropolis. When Corcyra turned them down, Delphi suggested they go to their grandmother city, Corinth. This all started the conflict between Athens and Corcyra and Corinth and its PL allies that ended in the Battle of Sybata where the Corcyrians were victorious. Sig: started an indirect war between the two allies that didn't technically break the Peace, but showed how weak it was

hegemon

A state or individual who headed an organization of states. Athens, for example, was the hegemon of the Delian League, Sparta of the Peloponnesian League. A hegemon was said to exercise hegemony; hence the period of Theban ascendancy in the 360s BC is known as the Theben hegemony. Hegemon was also the title of the leader of the Corinthian League. This hegemon was official;y elected by the League council and was its chief executive and commander-in-chief of its military forces with full autonomy to conduct the League's military and diplomatic activities. Major cause of Peloponnesian War is the conflict between Athens and Sparta for who gets to become the hegemon of Greece.

Sybota

Battle of, 433 BC. Conflict between colony of Corcyra and its metropolis Corinth, with its Peloponnesian allies. Began when Epidamnus went to Corinth after its mother city Corcyra refused aid. Corcyra ousted Corinth's powerful navy the first time, and sought Athenian support: long debate in Assembly agreed to send a small fleet to defend, not attack, in order that Corinth, their most powerful naval rival, does not gain the Corcyran fleet. Corinth flees. Sig: way of conflict without directly violating the Peace

Megara

Key city located on the isthmus of Corinth between the Peloponnese and Attica that played a role in the bipolar conflict leading up to the Peloponnesian War. One of the members of the Peloponnesian League not in the Peloponnese. Provided key access for Athenians to the Gulf of Corinth when it joined DL in 460 BC (first peloponnesian war). Defected from the Delian League in 446. The Megarian Decree was a key factor in the declaration of war.

Amphipolis

Key port city in the north, in Thrace, with mines. Established as an Athenian colony in 437 during the 30 Years Peace but never favored Athenian rule; eventually returns to Sparta 422 Brasidus recaptures

Archidamus

Spartan Commander who lent his name to the Archidamian War 431-421 BC which was mostly a series of raids and counter-raids between Attica and Laconia. Died in 427 BC

Peace of Callias

When: 449 What: treaty b/w Delian League and Persia, ending the Greco-Persian wars; negotiated by Callias( Athenian politician) Sig: gave autonomy to Ionian states in Asia minor and prohibited Persian ships from the Aegean

Long Walls

When: 459 Where: Megara What: Formidable walls that link Athens to the port of Piraeus Sig: made the whole town impossible to besiege by land, since supplies could always be brought in by boat

Egyptian Expedition

When: 459-54, Pericles sent the Athenian fleet to Egypt to help the Egyptians rebel and weaken the Persian Empire; total disaster all ships are lost when satrap drains the channels and cuts off retreat; Moves treasury to Athens

Samian Revolt

Where: Samos When: 440 Samos, a island in the Delian League, revolts led by oligarchs and assisted by the Persians; put down by Athenian fleet of 200 and severly punished; democracy put in place. Sig: the uprising threw terror into the Athenians. threatened the very continuation of their Aegean Empire. Peloponnesian League declines aid. Later when Spartans win the war, Samos happily reinstates oligarchy

Corcyra

powerful island colony of Corinth and metropolis of Epidamnus who in 433 defeated the Corinthians at the battle of Sybota with the help of a small Athenian fleet that was sent to protect the colony despite the 30 Years Peace. One of the major events leading up to the Peloponnesian war that shows the threat of Athenian fleet to the Peloponnese and also might contradict Thucydides' thesis that Sparta's fear of Athens caused the war: Corinth played a huge role.

"First" Peloponnesian War

when: 460-445 Where: Megara What: undeclared b/w the Athenian and Spartan leagues that really consisted of a series of battles w/ intervals of peace. Started when Megara went from the Peloponnesian League to the Delian League giving Athens protection from Corinth and a port in Corinthian gulf. Ended with a 30 year treaty, where Athens lost land