Causes and Effects of Pelo War

Question 1

What does ἀληθεστάτην πρόφασιν transliterate to? Meaning?

Answer 1

alethestaten prophasin
‘the truest cause’

Question 2

What does Thuc assert is the truest cause of the Pelo war?

Answer 2

Athenian growth of power and the fear Sparta felt about that

Question 3

What state’s role in initiating war is downplayed by Thuc to emphasise that of Sparta? Two events that demonstrate their involvement?

Answer 3

Corinth
Potidaea and Corcyra

Question 4

Why were the Corcyraeans and Corinthians engaged in dispute? Reference?

Answer 4

Epidamnus, the former’s colony city, was weakening and had been refused help from corc so approached corinth who gladly helped which led to a conflict over who had control/influence over the place
1.24-30

Question 5

How did Athens get involved in the Corcyra affair? Reference?

Answer 5

Corc requested their help when they learnt of corinthian efforts to scale up their military action over the control of epidamnus
1.30

Question 6

What would be the benefit for Athens in having Corcyra as an ally? (2) Reference?

Answer 6

en route to south italy/sicily and would be contributing to the weakening of strong pelo city Corinth
1.36

Question 7

What was the outcome of Corcyra affair?

Answer 7

both considered themselves victors (1.54) and it ended with Athens threatening Corinth to stay away (1.53)

Question 8

Name of naval battle that occured betw Corcyra and Athens vs Corinth?

Answer 8

Battle of Sybota

Question 9

What did Athens do in Corcyra affair that meant they were deemed as having broken treaty agreements?

Answer 9

in protecting corc against corinth, they appear to have taken military action against them

Question 10

How did Athens excuse itself from breaking peace treaty despite Corinthian accusations?

Answer 10

Their intention were to merely protect Corcyrean territory

Question 11

Who was Potidaea revolting against? Why?

Answer 11

Athens, it was a member of the Delian League
Athens had requested Corinthian magistrates to be removed and the city’s wall to be removed

Question 12

Who did Potidaea appeal to prior to the revolt? Reference?

Answer 12

Athens in negotiations, so they wouldn’t attack, and Peloponnesians for assistance should Athens do so.
1.58

Question 13

Why was Corinth involved in the Potidaean revolt?

Answer 13

Potidaea was a daughter-city of Corinth

Question 14

Why did Athens initially send fleet to potidaea? Corinth?

Answer 14

To enforce action upon its demands.
To protect Potidaea against the Athenians.

Question 15

Why was Perdiccas of Macedonia involved in Potidaea? Reference?

Answer 15

They were hostile to Athens and so trying to weaken the cities the city had influence over near Macedonia and trying to get pelos on side
1.57

Question 16

What were the sides in the fighting over Potidaea?

Answer 16

Potidaeans, Macedonians, and Corinthians vs Athenians

Question 17

What did Sparta promise in negotiations with both Corcyra and Potidaea?

Answer 17

to invade Attica at same time

Question 19

What was the outcome of Potidaea? Reference?

Answer 19

Athenian victory and prolonged siege of the city by Athens
1.63-4

Question 20

What does Thuc present as the moment that the Corinthians became adamant for war against Athens? Reference?

Answer 20

when the siege is organised
1.67

Question 21

What occurred directly before the agreement of war from both cities?

Answer 21

embassies sent from both sides but both seeming to not really aim to achieve anything but rather appear as if they would prefer peace

Question 22

What did Lendon’s argument about the reasoning behind the declaration of war revolve around?

Answer 22

Idea of rank as a way that Greeks, esp those in power, viewed interstate dynamics

Question 23

What is the ‘Great Gap’? Significance?

Answer 23

Absence of Thuc account for the years 439-4.
Excludes an important period of events running up to the war

Question 24

What 3 key events in the run up to Pelo war does Hornblower highlight as Thuc ommissions from pentekontaetia narrative?
(* examples are those that appear later in narrative but as references in contextual digressions)

Answer 24

*Akarnia alliance w Athens, c438, likely motivated by growth in Corinth power.
Pericles’ expedition to Black Sea, 436, known from Plutarch.
*Amphipolis founding, 437, again related to Corinthian power.

Question 25

What aspect of Athenian expansion is entirely excluded from pentekontaetia? How could this be explained?

Answer 25

Actions in the Greek West (Sicily, South Italy)
Makes the Sicilian Expedition, Thuc’s big crescendo in Athenian tyrannical behaviour, seem all the more inconsiderate and impulsive

Question 26

In what two ways was Corcyra unique pre B of Sybota?

Answer 26

had no alliances with bigger powers
had second largest naval fleet in the G world

Question 27

Why was Potidaea a weak point for Athens pre-Pelo war?

Answer 27

proximity to untrustworthy Perdiccas of Macedon
links w Corinth, its mother-city