Peloponnesian War

The Peloponnesian War was fought from 431 to 404 BCE between Athens and its allies and Sparta and its allies. It ended in Athenian defeat and the collapse of Athens’ empire.

Archidamian War: The first phase of the Peloponnesian War, marked by Spartan invasions of Attica and Athenian naval campaigns. Spartan invasions and Athenian raids defined the war’s opening decade.
Delian League: An alliance led by Athens, founded after the Persian Wars to resist further Persian attacks. Its transformation into Athenian rule alarmed Sparta and its allies.
Pericles: An Athenian statesman who guided the city during the early years of the Peloponnesian War. His defensive strategy relied on Athens’ walls, navy, and resources.
Surrender of Athens: The capitulation of Athens in 404 BCE, which ended the Peloponnesian War and dismantled much of its power. It formalized the defeat that concluded the war.
Peace of Nicias: A treaty concluded in 421 BCE that formally ended the first phase of the Peloponnesian War. Its unstable truce divided the war without resolving the rivalry.
Peloponnesian League: A coalition of Greek city-states led by Sparta before and during the Peloponnesian War. It gave Sparta allies and military weight against Athens.
Archidamus II: A king of Sparta who led invasions of Attica during the opening years of the Peloponnesian War. His campaigns gave the war’s first phase its name.
Thirty Tyrants: An oligarchic government imposed on Athens after its surrender to Sparta in 404 BCE. Sparta’s victory enabled a short-lived, violent regime in Athens.
Sicilian Expedition: An Athenian campaign to conquer Syracuse and gain control of Sicily, ending in catastrophic defeat in 413 BCE. The loss of ships and troops crippled Athens before the final phase.
Megarian Decree: An Athenian trade measure that excluded Megara from markets and ports in the Athenian alliance. The decree became a flashpoint in the disputes preceding war.

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