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The Reasons For The Athenian Defeat In The Peloponnesian War James…

- - - - Raided Megarian territory - tried to ruin crops
      - Approach to naval actions: Naval raids around Peloponnese
        
        winning over island of Cephallenia
        
        in 428 - small Athenian fleet under Phormio took control of strategically important Gulf Of Corinth - 2 naval victories at Naupactus
      - Put Peloponnese under great strategic pressure - now vunerable to attack on most of its coastline
      - Athenians hoped this strategy would provoke a lot of helot uprising - meaning Sparta wouldn't over-commit troops outside of the Peloponnese
    - - Pericles did not foresee the plague - probably caused by close proximity of which people were living
        
        Cost the lives of a third of the Athenian population
        
        Stands in contrast to Pericles claim in his speeches to have 'excellent foresight'
      - Pericles didn't realise how long the war is likely to last for
        
        Put a strain on financial reserves
        
        Annual income from tribute of 600 talents + reserve of 6000 talents.
        
        Though cost of seige on Potidaea was 2000 talents - would've soon emptied the states coffers
        
        Athenians had to raise combined annual tribute to 1460 - shown by Thoudippos decree
  - - - After Pericles died in 429 BC - Athens adopted a more aggressive strategy
        
        Had some successes: Victory at Pylos and Sphacteria
        
        But major failures:
        
        Defeat at Delium (Boetia) in 424 BC
        
        Failed to capture Megara
        
        Spartan offensives in Thrace weakened Athens
        
        Athens soon had to return temporarily to Pericles' defensive approach
  - - - Athens launched a huge expedition to Sicily despite:
        
        Peace with Sparta still existing
        
        Warnings from Nicias
      - Problems:
        
        Athenians were misled by Egesta about available money/resources
        
        Assembly increased force size drastically:
        
        Over 100 Ships
        
        Around 5,000 hopelites
        
        The Expedition overstretched Athenian military power
      - Alcibiades Influence
        
        Alcibiades convinced Athens:
        
        Sicily would be an easy victory
        
        They could conquer Sicily and even Carthage
      - Disaster
        
        Massive Losses:
        
        Around 45,000-50,000 Athenians and allies died
        
        Seen as a major example of:
        
        Poor decision-making
        
        Imperial Overreach
  - - - According To Thucyides:
        
        Older men believed the expedition was safe
        
        Young men wanted adventure
        
        Ordinary Citizens hoped for:
        
        More Wealth
        
        More Employment through empire expansion
    - - Some Athenians opposed the expedition
        
        Though many stayed silent - didn't want to appear unpatriotic
    - - Democratic decision making encouraged risky policies - driven by ambition rather than caution
- - - - 120 Spartan hoplites captured on sphacteria
        
        use of epitechismos established a fort at Pylos
        
        Sparta became desperate to recover the prisoners
    - - Sparta offered peace on favourable terms
        
        Sparta was willing to accept:
        
        A balance of power between Athens and Sparta
      - Why Athens Refused:
        
        Influenced by the Politican Cleon - Favoured Aggressive and offensive millitary tactics
        
        Athenians believed they could win outright
        
        Consequences:
        
        Losses at Delium in 424 BC
        
        Faced Spartan expansion into Thrace
  - - - Won major naval victory at Cyzius
        
        Peloponnesian fleet destroyed
        
        Spartan Admiral Minadrus was killed
      - Earlier Successes at Cynossema showed Athens could still compete strongly
    - - Sparta sued for peace again
        
        Proposed terms such as:
        
        Each side keeps what it currently held
        
        Garrisons withdrawn
        
        Prisoners returned
        
        Why Athens rejected it
        
        Athenians persuaded by demagogue Cleophon - continue war
        
        They believed they had regained the advantage
        
        Believed Alcibiades return would bring victory
        
        Mistake:
        
        Athens ignored important Spartan strengths - Sparta still controlled Declea in Attica
    - - 410 BC or After Arginusae (406 BC)
        
        However they all agree that Athens rejected peace terms
- - - - Potidaea rebelled against Athens
        
        Other cities in the Thraceward region supported or sympathised with the revolt
    - - 4/5 Cities on Lesbos revolted
        
        Punished by loosing its right to have a navy
        
        Shows Athens harsh treatment of rebellious allies
  - - - Athens more than doubled tribute payments:
        
        From 600 talents to 1460 talents
        
        Through the Thoudippos Decree
        
        Effect:
        
        Allies became increasingly disatisfied
        
        Athens appeared more like an oppressive empire than a partner
  - - - Spartan General Brasidas encouraged Athenian allies to defect
        
        Many Thracian cities surrendered to Sparta
        
        Importance:
        
        Sparta successfully used anti-Athenian feeling to weaken the empire
  - - - Thucydides claims nearly all Athenian allies were ready to revolt
        
        413/412 BC:
        
        Euboea
        
        Lesbos
        
        Erythrae
        
        Chios
        all asked Sparta for help
    - - Athens lost:
        
        Tribute Income
        
        Trade Resources
        
        Naval Support
        
        Athens had to spend huge resources trying to gain control
  - - - Chios was Athens' last major ship providing ally
      - Its revolt in 412 BC put Athens under severe pressure
    - - Athens used the emergancy reserve of 1000 talents set aside by Pericles
      - Money was used to rebuild and Strengthen the fleet
- - - - Thucydides says political rivalries caused Alcibiades to be recalled
        
        His removal weakened Athens in Sicily
        
        Athenians feared he wanted to become a dictator
        
        Thucydides: despite personal flaws - was an effective war leader
      - Consequences of his recall
        
        Alcibiades defected to Sparta
        
        Advised Spartans to;
        
        Send Gylippus to Sicily
        
        Fortify Declea
        
        Gylippus in Sicily
        
        Brought:
        
        Millitary Skill, Strategy and Morale/hope to Syracuse
        
        Helped turn the war against Athens
      - Declea
        
        Effects on Athens
        
        Permanent Spartan occupation damaged Athenian economy
        
        According to Thucydides, Declea was a major cause of defeat
        
        Economic Damage
        
        Athenians lost access to countryside all year round
        
        Loss of livestock and farmland
        
        Constant gaurding of city walls exhausted resources
        
        Horses became lame from constant use
        
        20,000 slaves deserted (many skilled artisans)
        
        Trade route from Euboea disrupted
        
        Food imports became more expensive
        
        Athens forced to introduce taxes in Piraeus
    - - Battle Of Notion
        
        Alcibiades left Antiochus in command
        
        Odered him not to fight
        
        Antiochus ignored olders and attacked near Ephesus
        
        Athens lost 15 ships
        
        Lysander gained success
        
        Alcibiades blamed and exiled again
        
        Effect
        
        Athens lost its best general
        
        Lysander emerged as Sparta's strongest commander
    - - Alcibiades advised Athenians:
        
        move fleet to safer harbour at Sestos
        
        improve supply situation
        
        Generals ignored him
        
        Athens suffered decisive defeat
  - - - Wanted a limited mission:
      - Help Segesta diplomatically or militarily
      - Show Athenian power
      - return home quickly
      - didn't support full conquest of Sicily
    - - Wanted To Act:
      - Diplomatically first
      - Build alliances in Sicily
      - Then attack Syracuse and Selinus
      - Strategy delayed action and lost surprise
    - - Favoured immediate millitary attack on Syracuse
        
        Believed Syracuse was unprepared and vunerable
        
        Seen as most agressive and practical millitary Plan
        
        Eventually sided with Alcibiades plan to break deadlock
  - - - Sparta appointed Lysander as commander
      - Persian prince Cyrus supported Sparta financially
    - - Sparta Gained:
        
        Better leadership
        
        Persian money
        
        Stronger naval power
  - - - Athens won the naval battle of Arginusae in 406 BC
        
        However executed 6 experienced generals because
        
        They failed to rescue survivors after the battle
      - Consequences
        
        Athens lost many capable commanders
        
        Leadership quality
        
        weakened before decisive final phase of war
  - - - Alcibiades recalled to Athens and defected to Sparta
      - Athens lost an important and ambitious leader
    - - Lamachus died in 414 BC
      - Nicias was left in sole command
    - - Nicias delayed action repeatedly
      - After a victory, he failed to press the advantage
      - Refused to retreat uring danger because of a religious omen (eclipse)
    - - Athens suffered
        
        Catastrophic defeat in Sicily
        
        Massive loss of ships and soldiers
- - - - Around 449 BC - Athens may have agreed to the Peace of Callias with Persia
        
        This gave Athens stability and freedom to expand its empire without Persian interferance
    - - Athens interfered with Persia
        
        Athens supported Amorges, who rebelled against the Persian King Darius II.
        
        Angered Persia
        
        Consequences
        
        Persian officials: Tissaphernes were pushed towards supporting Sparta instead
        
        Some historians describe Athens' actions as;
        
        Imperial arrogance
        
        Major diplomatic mistake
  - - - Sparta handled relations with Persia more effectively
      - Spartans were willing to compromise to gain victory
        
        Key Compromise:
        
        Sparta accepted that Persian control over Greek cities of Asia Minor might continue in exchange for Persian Support
    - - What Persia Provided:
        
        Persia helped Sparta with:
        
        Money
        
        Naval funding
        
        Political Support
      - Why Persian Support Mattered:
        
        Athens Weaknesses increased
        
        By The Later War;
        
        Athens was financially exhausted
        
        Allies were revolting
        
        Sicily had destroyed much of Athens' stregnth
        
        Persian Funding Shifted The Balance
        
        Sparta could maintain a powerful Navy
        
        This helped Sparta win decisive victories - especially under Lysander