Spartan Foreign Policy

Question 1

What were the two major domestic concerns for Sparta mid 5th cent? Reference?

Answer 1

Earthquake c.465 and (soon after) helot revolt
1.101

Question 2

What were the three main effects of earthquake?

Answer 2

signif reduction in citizen, thus hoplite, numbers, and ruin of infrastructure, increased weakness in face of threat

Question 3

How does Thuc refer to the Spartan attitude to helot threat of revolt generally? Reference?

Answer 3

‘spartan paranoia’ 4.80

Question 4

Who were the helots under Spartan control and why were they important?

Answer 4

Peasant farmers who provided the hoplite population of Sparta with produce from the countryside controlled by the city

Question 5

How did the helot revolt of 460s end?

Answer 5

Helots were expelled from Peloponnese by sparta

Question 6

What happened when the helots took Ithome and overwhelmed Sparta? Reference?

Answer 6

Sparta went to their allies, incl Athens, for help
1.102

Question 7

What do the sources suggest actually happened at Ithome?

Answer 7

helots took the hilltop city of Ithome and what followed was a c.four year siege that took much resources from the Spartans

Question 8

What was a major source of contention for Ath and Sp during helot revolt? Why did this occur? What was the later negative impact on Sparta as a result ?

Answer 8

Dismissal of Athens from Ithome because Sparta was suspicious they would ally with the helots (1.102)
Athens settled the deposed helots following their defeat at Naupactus that became a base in pelo war (1.103)

Question 9

What role had Sparta fostered for itself in Greek consciousness as a result of tyrant related actions in the 6th century?
Reference?

Answer 9

liberator
2.8

Question 10

What is the problem with the idea of Spartans as liberators?

Answer 10

When they were removing tyrants in the 6th century, this appears to have been motivated by reactionary self-interest (case of Athens - Peisistratids did not like them) rather than ideological policy against tyranny

Question 11

What was key weakness in Spartan appraoch to foreign affairs?

Answer 11

lack of naval power which had become increasingly important

Question 12

Which Peloponnesian League member allied with Athens? When?

Answer 12

Argos, 462/1

Question 13

Why was Agive alliance with Athens a great threat?

Answer 13

Brought Athenian threat much closer to home for Sparta

Question 14

What does Cartledge understand the policy of little sparta to have been?

Answer 14

Sparta focussing on asserting and maintaining power over just the pelo states

Question 15

What were the three influences over Spartan foreign outlook in pelo war?

Answer 15

helots, Peloponnesian league, and Athens (and its reputation compared to Ath)

Question 16

How can the ‘first pelo war’ be deconstructed in terms of the indiv conflicts that occured?

Answer 16

Athens v Corinth and Sparta v Argos (as an ally to Ath)

Question 17

What occurred in the second sacred war?
Reference?

Answer 17

Phocians took delphi from the locals which spurred Sparta to reinstate delphians into power then Athens reversed this
1.112

Question 18

Who does the Delphi sanctuary side w in Pelo war? Why?

Answer 18

Sparta because Sp had supported the delphians in the sacred war.

Question 19

Why did the Pelos eventually call for war? Reference?

Answer 19

It was believed Athens had broken the peace treaty agreed c446 at end of ‘first pelo war’
1.79

Question 20

What is the attitude Sparta has in the decision of war?

Answer 20

rather laid back, its allies eg. Corinthians, are far more assertive as to its pursuit

Question 21

What was the disadvantage the Pelos had and were v much aware of at the call of war? Reference?

Answer 21

lacking financial resources
Archidamus speech 1.83

Question 22

What was a major failure in Sp foreign policy in P wars that demonstrates their self-interest or at least the perception that they were self-interested?

Answer 22

isthmus wall affair in which Spartans refused to help Athens in Boeotia because they were fortifying the Corinthian isthmus that led to the Peloponnese

Question 23

Where was the area of land that Sparta had direct control over?

Answer 23

‘Laconia’ - the south east peloponese and periokoic settlements around the border of lac including in messenia

Question 24

when was the Peloponnesian league likely started?

Answer 24

sixth century

Question 25

What about Sparta’s position in Pelo league was weaker than Athens’ position in Delian League?

Answer 25

Sp depended on its allies wholly for financial and political backing for any major foreign decision

Question 26

What policy was seen, pre-war, by the Pelo states to be what would weaken Athens the most to the point of surrender should they be able to do it? Reference?

Answer 26

Invading Attica.
8.28.3

Question 27

When and Why (2) did the spartans found the city of Heraclea Trachinia in Attica?

Answer 27

426
Challenge Euboean naval dominance in the area, and create closer links with networks in the north.

Question 28

What happened as a result of the Spartan founding of Heraclea Trachinia? Why was this the case?

Answer 28

Very little.
The locals were too opposed to the interference and the leadership by the Spartans there was not good enough.