Archidamian War

Question 1

Archidamian War inconclusive/factors

Answer 1

Athenian Strategy mistakes
Spartan Strategy mistakes
Failure of Peace Treaty

Question 2

Athens Strategy Initial

Answer 2

Initial Strategy would have been successful
2.65 ‘For Pericles had said that Athens would be victorious if [she pursued a defensive strategy]’
Attacking pointedly - such as from bases near Peloponnese (Zacynthos, Astacus, Cephallania)

Question 3

Athens strategy abandonment - sources

Answer 3

Division and pressure

Aristophanes Peace 639-48 - Cleon continuing war for his own profit, Athenian divisions
- Aristophanes Peace 619-22 ‘the cities that you ruled realised you were at each other’s throats’ ‘fear of the tribute’ - leading to Brasidas success

Question 4

Athens strategy abandonment - events

Answer 4

• Athenians sick of being invaded - young men wanting war
• Plague - Replacement of Pericles (RIP 429) with Cleon

Question 5

Athens new strategy problems - resources

Answer 5

• Offensive strategy drain on resources
• 2.13 ‘victory in war depended on…financial resources’
• Athens running out of money - Thoudippos decree(425) showed a desperation as tribute up 900 talents from 431

Question 6

Athens new strategy problems - strategic

Answer 6

• 1.143 ‘we must not…join battle with the greatly superior forces of the Peloponnese’- Defeated at Amphipolis and Delium,
• Already with depleted numbers due to plague
• 5.14 ‘they no longer possessed the same confidence’

Question 7

Spartan Strategy mistakes

Answer 7

• believed that they could destroy the power of athens…simply by laying waste her land (5.14) but ‘war had gone very differently ‘
• Bad assessment of Athens - ‘they do not wait to think, but plunge into action on the spur of their impulse’
• Failure to use revolt of Mytilene (428) by Alcidas - does not encourage other revolts

Question 8

Pylos mistakes

Answer 8

• [Pylos disaster] ‘had never been known before in Sparta’(5.14) - family of officers captured
• ‘if the Peloponnesians invaded Attica before then, they would take the men out and kill them’ 4.41

Question 9

Abandoning Brasidas

Answer 9

• Brasidas extremely successful - winning over allies ‘caused most of them to revolt’ (4.81) -424
  The Spartans, however, did nothing for him, partly because their leading men were jealous of him, partly because what they really wanted was to recover the prisoners made on the island and to end the war. (4.101)

Question 10

Failure of first Peace

Answer 10

• ‘peace, alliance, friendly and neighbourly relations’(4.19)
  Athens in a favourable position

Question 11

Mistakes in second peace

Answer 11

• Corinth and various other cities in the Peloponnese were trying to upset the agreement(5.25) as no consulted
• Did not include Pylos or returning of Corinthian colonies such as Corcyra
  Made hurriedly as each side faced threats (sparta from argos) and athens from a serious allied revolt)

Question 12

Peace never upheld

Answer 12

Not upheld
‘the truce was never properly in force’