Causes of the Peloponnesian War Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is the significance of Corinth according to Thucydides?
Corinth and Athens already had poor relations: (460-59) Megara joined the Delian League due to a border war with Corinth and “it was chiefly because of this that the Corinthians began to conceive a bitter hatred for Athens.”
This led to the Corinthian complaint which led to Sparta declaring war
What was the significance of the Megarian decree according to Thuc?
“war could be avoided if Athens would revoke the Megarian Decree”
How did Corinth threaten Spartan action according to Thuc?
“Do not force the rest of us in despair to join a different alliance”
He would have been aware of this debate as there were Athenian envoys in Sparta at the time
How was Sparta threatened into action via the concept of blame according to Thuc?
“when one is deprived of one’s liberty one is right in blaming not so much the man who puts the fetters on as who had the power to prevent him, but did not use it”
According to Thuc, what made the war inevitable?
“What made war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta”
After the Persian war how did Sparta react to Athens according to Thuc?
Sparta “were alarmed both by the sudden growth of Athenian sea-power”
According to Thuc, what shows that Sparta thought about breaking the treaty?
“we prevented the Peloponnesian states from helping Samos”
Why did Athens agree to the 30 years peace?
Athenians needed the treaty as they had lost their land empire (447), they were facing some revolts from allies (Euboea and Megara, who invited the Peloponnesian League to invade into Attica) and the Spartans were on the offensive. Athens had no choice but to sue for peace.
Why did Sparta agree to the 30 years peace?
Sparta may have wanted the peace due to Helots or oliganthropia. This would explain the idea that Pleistoanax wasn’t bribed to leave, he did so due to being pro-peace.
According to Thuc, what was Sparta’s ultimatum?
“Sparta wants peace. Peace is still possible if you will give the Hellens their freedom”
